Stunned is the best way to describe the head-hung-low body language of Maple Grove senior forward Alex Mason as he served his penalty time to round out the Crimson's 5-2 Class 2A quarterfinal loss to Hill-Murray.
A little more than three minutes into the game Thursday, the Crimson's first shot on goal -- a rising wrist shot off Mason's stick -- beat Pioneers goalie John Dugas over his blocker pad.
The tournament's No. 2 seed appeared to be in the driver's seat, but it was soon pushed aside with a hardy shove.
Hill-Murray scored goals 38 seconds apart later in the first period to take a 2-1 lead. It really took the momentum a little more than 10 minutes into the second when Maple Grove's Jordan Gross, being pressured by Zach LaValle, put the puck into his own net.
Balloon, meet pin. "From what I remember, he just kind of slashed my stick and then I threw it in," a dejected Gross said afterward.
LaValle, who had the Pioneers' second goal of the first period and added two assists in the game, didn't recall much about the fluky game-winner either.
Apparently, neither did the official scorer at Xcel Energy Center. Credit initially went to LaValle before it was changed to Jake Guentzel, then back to LaValle.
Regardless, it assured that the unseeded Pioneers are in the semifinals.
