Elijah Kaasa stopped 39 shots to give Irondale a 4-1 upset of previously unbeaten and Class 2A, No. 1 White Bear Lake in a boys' hockey game Thursday night at the Vadnais Sports Center in Vadnai Heights. The junior stopped 11 shots in the first to keep the game scoreless, 15 in the second and 13 more in the third for his fourth win of the season.

Connor Kvaal scored two goals, including an empty-net goal. The sophomore defenseman got the scoring started with 7 minutes, 9 seconds left in the second period.

Nate Foley scored the eventual winning goal 7:02 into the third period. His goal came just after the Knights (4-7) failed to score on a two-minute 5-on-3 power play, which included the back end of a five-minute major penalty on the Bears.

The Bears (8-1-1) got on the board with 2:04 left in the game after pulling their goalie for an extra attacker. Grant Hofeld scored his fourth goal of the season to cut White Bear Lake's deficit in half.

The Knights re-claimed a two-goal with an empty-net goal by Sam Diebold with 1:46 left in the game. Kvaal followed with his empty-netter.

Minnetonka 5, Wayzata 2: The Skippers built a 4-0 lead early in the third period and cruised past the Class 3A, No. 7 Trojans. Duke Kiffin got the scoring started with 4:46 left in the first period for the Skippers. Nic Henry and Dylan Zitzloff scored 7:25 apart in the second period to give the Skippers a 3-0 lead. Teddy Lagerback extended the lead 3:37 into the third period. Jack Kimlinger got the Trojans on the board 43 seconds later. Carson Peters got the Trojans to within two with 6:06 left in the game. James Millers scored an empty-net goal to seal the victory for the Skippers. Brandon Shantz stopped 24 shots for the Skippers and Garret Bonello had 30 saves for the Trojans.

Eastview 4, St. Louis Park 3 (OT): Josh Eernisse knocked in a rebound in overtime for his second goal of the game to give the visiting Lightning the victory. Eernisse followed a breakaway by teammate Cullen Johnson moments after Lightning goaltender Bennett Weestrand, who finished with 30 saves, stopped an Orioles breakaway. Eernisse scored his first goal of the game with 3:46 left in regulation to force overtime. Dylan Abboud and Jordan Larkee also scored for the Lightning. Stanley Regguinti, Drew Boyum and McCabe Dvorak scored a goal each and William Pinney made 30 saves for the Orioles.

Champlin Park 1, Burnsville 0: Carter Wostrel stopped 37 shots, including 29 in the second and third periods, to shut out the host Blaze. Hogan Sinjem scored 1:23 into the game for the Rebels. Evan Wittchow made 31 saves for the Blaze.

Tartan 4, Simley 3: Luke Young scored with 9:36 left in the game to give the Titans the victory over the visiting Spartans. Marshall Ahn had a goal and an assist, Landen Schwantes had two assists, Jacob Schwinghammer and Bo Strecker scored a goal each and Jack Cashin had 25 saves for the Titans. Shane Prifrel scored two goals, Samuel Fischer had two assists, Jayar Luedke scored a goal and Hunter Sandnas had 35 saves for the Spartans.

Girls' hockey

Minnetonka 4, Stillwater 1: Emily Bayless had a goal and an assist to lead the Class 2A, No. 3 Skippers past the No. 7 Ponies. Bayless got the scoring started for the Skippers 28 seconds into the game and assisted on Kayley Crawford's eventual game-winning goal in the second period. Haley Eder-Zdechlik cut the Ponies deficit to one 1:19 into the third period. Josie Helling and Olivia LaRoche scored for the Skippers in a 7:58 span of the third period to seal the victory. Lacey Martin had three assists for the Skippers and Brynn DuLac had 24 saves. Sophie Cronk made 30 saves for the Ponies.

Hastings 3, Henry Sibley/St. Paul 1: The Raiders scored two goals in the third period to defeat the visiting Riveters. Ireland Zaruba broke a 1-1 tie 2:14 into the third period for the Raiders. Kylie Gruden extended the lead 3-1 2:48 later. Emma Langenfeld assisted on both goals for Raiders. Lexi Ramsbacher got the scoring started for the Raiders with 3:52 left in the second period. Solved Berg-Messarole tied the score at 1-1 for the Riveters 1:48 into the third period. Lauren Dubej made 23 saves for the Raiders and Veronica Morse had 36 for the Riveters.

Boys' basketball

Waconia 69, Buffalo 66: The Class 3A, No. 7 Wildcats took a six-point lead into halftime and held off a late rally by the visiting Bison for the win. Spencer Swanson led the Wildcats with 22 points and PJ Hayes IV had 19. Matthew Wilbert led the Bison with 19 points, Antonio Bluiett had 18 and Brandon Maatz 14.

Prior Lake 80, Apple Valley 58: Dawson Garcia had 39 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Lakers past the host Eagles. Dylan Bair had 18 points and Malcolm Jones had 11 rebounds for the Lakers. Davy Hosea led the Eagles with 16 points, Bilhal Kone had 12 and Bobbie Jackson 10.

East Ridge 84, Wayzata 61: Ben Carlson scored 22 points to lead the Class 4A, No. 8 Raptors past the host Trojans. Kendall Blue had 21 points and Drew Adams and Brody Kriesel had 11 each. Camden Heide led the Trojans with 17 points and Drew Berkland had 10.

Girls' basketball

Apple Valley 77, Prior Lake 64: The Eagles overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat the host Lakers. Kalena Myers led the Eagles with 29 points, Chyna Young and Anna Mutch had 14 each and Madison Reed had 11. Kate Trachsel led the Lakers with 21 points and Haidyn Pitsch had 20.

Lakeville North 63, Lakeville South 61: Sarah Kuma scored 17 points to lead the Panthers past the visiting Cougars. Lizzie Berkvam had 14 points for the Panthers. Annie Guentzel led the Cougars with 17 points, Haylee Wheeler had 16 and Zoe Ostrowski 11.

Annandale 57, St. Cloud Cathedral 50: Abby Neutz scored 15 points to lead the Cardinals past the visiting the Crusaders. Kitri Reimer had 12 points for the Cardinals. Charity Lewis led the Crusaders with 19 points and Kate Stangler had 13.

staff reports