Maple Grove junior goaltender Jack Wieneke came into the team locker room the day before his team's section final game "and you could see how bad he wanted it," said his coach, Todd Bergland.
He wanted a state bid so much that he turned in a season-high, 45-save performance for a 3-0 shutout over Blaine in the Class 2A, Section 5 championship game Thursday at Aldrich Arena. For Wieneke, it was the "game of his life," Bergland said.
Wieneke, who held his ground as Blaine outshot the Crimson 19-7 in the third period and put a flurry of shots on net in the final two minutes, credited his teammates in front of him for the defensive help.
"The boys, they got in front of me, they cleared pucks out," Wieneke said. "I just had to make the first save, and they were right there to clear it out for me."
It was Wieneke's fourth shutout of the season as he and the second-seeded Crimson avenged two regular-season losses and last year's 2-1 section-title loss to Blaine.
"Props to him," said junior defenseman Henry Nelson. "He played a really good game, probably his best game all year.
"These games, you need to step up, and he did."
Nelson gave the Crimson a 1-0 lead late in the first period for his fifth power-play goal this season. Maple Grove got out to another fast start in the second, taking a 2-0 lead two minutes into the period on a quick pass play from Landen Gunderson to Joshua Giuliani. Chris Kernan had the dagger finishing a 2-on-1 play for the 3-0 lead with about 7 minutes to play.
Maple Grove (20-8-0) returns to state for the first time since 2017.
HEATHER RULE
