The Dodge County Wildcats won the Class 1A championship trophy after beating three-time champion Warroad team last Saturday on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center. This makes the first time a southern Minnesota team has won the title and was a well-earned triumph after losing to the Warroad Warriors in state hockey playoff last year.
The Warriors scored first in the first period but the Wildcats tied the game less than a minute later with a goal by junior forward Zoe Heimer. Kylie Meyer added a goal in the second period and Nora Carstensen put another in the net early in the third. The No. 1 seed Wildcats led the Warriors 3-1 in the third period but with nine minutes left the Warriors scored twice in 39 seconds to tie the game, putting the tournament into overtime.
Four minutes into the sudden death overtime Zoe Heimer poked the puck into the net after a shot by team mate Maysie Koch bounced off the goal post, during a crowded scramble in front of the Warriors goalie. Even though the Warriors played the puck back out of the net, Heimer called for a video review, which showed the puck had crossed the goal line. The referee called the score and the Wilcats had won the tournament.
