Sports

Blake wins sixth Class 1A girls hockey state title

Two hat tricks carried the Bears to a rout against St. Paul United.

February 21, 2016 at 4:20AM

Blake teammates gathered around Carly Bullock (22) to celebrate one of her two goals in the first period against St. Paul United on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center. She had three goals this game, 10 for the tournament. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The score was 1-0, then 2-0, then 3-0, then 4-0 …

After Blake's fifth goal, coach Shawn Reid looked to the replay on the video board above the Xcel Energy Center ice. He surrendered to a laugh.

Carly Bullock had just fallen between two St. Paul United defenders and flipped the puck across the ice. Teammate Lucy Burton tipped that puck into the net without effort.

Reid's Bears were going to win state. Again.

Led by three goals each from Bullock and Burton, Blake beat St. Paul United 8-0 on Saturday in the Class 1A girls' hockey final.

"I'm flabbergasted," Reid said. "The girls played so well. … I certainly didn't expect this result."

Blake (26-2-2) won its third state title in four years, after losing to Thief River Falls in the final last year. The Bears now have six total championships, the most of any program.

Bullock's three goals gave her 10 for this tournament and hat tricks in all three games. In her four-year state tournament career, Bullock scored 22 goals, breaking Krissy Wendell's record of 21. (Wendell played in only two state tournaments.)

St. Paul United coach Nate Mauer called Bullock a natural goal-scorer and an Olympic-style player.

Friday, Reid summed it up well. He said he would never bet against Bullock.

"Twenty-two goals, whatever it was, that's ridiculous," Reid said. "It's been so much fun coaching her."

St. Paul United (23-6-1) played Blake two previous times this season, losing 3-2 and 3-1.

When the score was tied midway through the first period Saturday, St. Paul United students broke out in an "overrated" chant.

And even down 2-0, St. Paul United's Sena Hanson said there was no lack of hope. SPU overcame a similar deficit in its semifinal against Warroad.

"We weren't deflated at all," Hanson said. "We knew if we kept working hard, we could get back. But I guess it just doesn't work out all the time."

Bullock scored twice late in the first period.

Madeline Wethington scored early in the second. Burton poured in three goals in the same period, and Sylvie Wallin added another.

By the third period, the running clock was merely a countdown to Blake's coronation.

And in case there were any doubts, with 24 seconds remaining, Bullock scored again to pass Wendell. She said she wasn't aware of the record until it appeared on the board during the game.

"For it to be my senior year and come out here, for our team to play as we did, it's amazing," Bullock said.

Call Blake what you want — a private-school empire or a beautiful blueprint for a dynasty.

Saturday, the Bears were state champions.