Warroad Advances to Class A Final with Win over Delano

Warroad Advances to Class A Final with Win over Delano

By Robert Brent

The second semifinal matchup of Class A kicked off Friday afternoon as the Warroad Warriors took on the Delano Tigers. The matchup is a full season in the making after Delano defeated the Warriors 3-1 on November 21st in both teams’ first games of the season.

In their previous game, Warroad scored first before the Tigers scored three unanswered goals to seal their win.

In this game, it was the Warriors who came out with a win in one of the more exciting games of the tournament.

The Tigers flipped the script on the two teams’ previous matchup when they scored the contest’s opening marker. Daniel Halonen continued the Halonens’ strong tournament, tallying a goal on a strong drive to the net where he lowered his shoulder, went forehand-to-backhand, and scored.

The skilled forward wasn’t done yet, however, putting the Tigers up 2-0 towards the end of the period. Daniel was on the receiving end of a cross-crease pass from Lance Halonen, giving him a fairly open goal for his second of the game.

While the first period made it appear that Delano had the game under control, a team like the Warriors isn’t likely to go down quietly in a state tournament semifinal. Warroad didn’t stay down long with a furious barrage to start the second period.

Starting at 1:44, the Warriors tallied three goals in a row in less than a minute and a half. Gavin Anderson started the spree, scoring the first goal, while Ryan Shaugabay scored the second and Broden Hontvet the third to give Warroad the 3-2 lead.

After a frantic bonanza of goals, Warroad and Delano settled into a rhythm where both teams traded chances, but the Warriors got the better of play. The second period ended 3-2, setting up a third period in which Warroad had the advantage, but the game was far from over.

Delano earned an opportunity to tie the game early when they came out with energy and drew a penalty, sending them to the power play. Brady Kangas cashed in on the opportunity, tying the game early in the third period.

Kangas scored the goal on a drive to the net from below the goal line after a feed from a Tigers defender.

The deadlock didn’t last for long after Gavin Anderson scored his second goal of the game to restore the Warriors’ one-goal lead with 14 minutes remaining in the game. Warroad kept scoring their goals in bunches when they scored again minutes later to push their lead to 5-3.

Delano pulled their goalie with roughly a minute and a half left in the game, but couldn’t find a way back into the game. Broden Hontvet iced the game with an empty-netter to punch their ticket to the Class A State Championship against Hibbing/Chisholm

Like the game against Delano, Warroad will have to avenge a loss from earlier in the season where the Bluejackets knocked them off.

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