Hibbing/Chisholm downs Luverne 7-0

by Rob Brent

The Hibbing/Chisholm Blue Jackets cruised to an opening-round victory over the Luverne Cardinals Wednesday evening in a game where the Bluejackets got balanced contributions from their whole lineup, including three-point nights each from brothers Tate and Cole Swanson.

Top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm took on the Luverne Cardinals in a Class A quarterfinal matchup that featured one of the more intriguing matchups of the first round. Luverne entered the tournament as the eighth seed despite having some of the best team stats in the state. The Cardinals hadn’t played a top team until this matchup with Hibbing/Chisholm, making it compelling to see how their game would translate against more rigorous competition. 

Hibbing/Chisholm started the game looking like the much higher-seeded team with a goal just 1:12 into the game. Tate Swanson scored the goal on a partial breakaway where the Cardinal goalie stopped the initial shot, but Swanson crashed the net, and the puck ended up in the goal. Cole Swanson got one of the assists on the play along with Dylan Vesel.

The Bluejackets scored again just over a minute later when Gavin Hoven saved a shot by Whitaker Rewertz, but the rebound found a wide-open Hunter Gustavsson. Hibbing/Chisholm added to that lead five minutes later on a sharp-angle shot from captain Jace Kampsula. The Bluejacket assault continued with their fourth goal of the first period, which was a goal from 11th-grader Ben Galli. 

Luverne generated a few chances in the first frame but could not break through. In the opening 20 minutes, Hibbing/Chisholm was a step quicker and more fundamentally sound. The result was a 4-0 lead for the Blue Jackets going into the second period. 

The Bluejackets picked up where they left off early in the second period as Hibbing/Chisholm took advantage of a neutral zone turnover to break towards the net. Tate Swanson found an area in front of the net to get a clean shot off and scored his second goal of the game. The Bluejackets played great in transition, making the most of their opportunities every time they created a turnover.

Much of the second period occurred without incident, but the Bluejackets added to their lead again later during a powerplay. Cole Swanson got in on the scoring after another nice passing play left the freshman with a gaping net.

The Bluejackets got on the board again when a pass from the boards found Jackson Strukel alone in front of the net. The goal was Strukel’s fourth of the season after the 10th-grade defender only played 18 games this year due to an injury. Now healthy, Strukel will be thrilled to have scored in the tournament.

Luverne put some pressure on the Bluejackets with about five minutes left in the game on a sequence that included a breakaway and another high-end chance on a net-front scramble, but the Cardinals could not convert.

From there, the Bluejackets cruised for the rest of the game, skating to a 7-0 shutout victory. Rex Walli made 15 saves for Hibbing/Chisholm, while Gavin Lamphere made six saves to combine for a 21-save shutout.

With the win, Hibbing/Chisholm continues their magical season that has captured hockey fans across the state. Despite being the no. 3 seed in their sectional tournament, they find themselves as the no. 1 seed in the Class A Tournament. After this game, it’s clear they’re not just here to take part but to make serious noise.

With their quarterfinal victory, the Bluejackets are moving on to the semifinals. They’ll take on the winner of the no. 4 seed East Grand Forks vs. no. 5 seeded Northern Lakes. The Bluejackets will return to compete in the semifinal, with a trip to the title game at stake on Friday at 1:00 PM.

Scoring Summary: