Class 1A hockey: Apollo achieves liftoff with OT win over Breck

Goals were sparse but the action plentiful as St. Cloud Apollo outlasted Breck for a 1-0 overtime victory.

Brandon Bissett ended the game with his shot at 5:07 of the extra session. He took a pass from Gino Lucia, whose uncle, Don, coaches the Gophers men's hockey team. Tanner Breidenbach set the play in motion, corralling a Breck turnover in the Eagles' end and taking the puck up ice. Bissett's 18th goal this season tied him for the team lead.

"The goalie bit on Gino's pass and moved a lot," said Bissett, whose team will play Hermantown in Friday's semifinals. "That's what we work on in practice, those passes that get the goalie moving."

Neither No. 4 seed Breck goalie Stephen Headrick nor his St. Cloud Apollo counterpart Nick Althaus got caught out of position often this season. Breck (21-8) entered the state tournament as the most-stingiest team, allowing 38 goals — one fewer than No. 5 seed St. Cloud Apollo (23-4-2). Neither team had won a 1-0 game all season "We expected that kind of game," Breck coach Les Larson said. "I'm an old defenseman, but I don't like 1-0 games."

Scoring chances, great saves and a little puck luck highlighted the third period. Headrick stopped Jason Omann's one-timer from close range. The Eagles faced a Breck power play with less than three minutes remaining but did not concede a goal. The Mustangs later hit a pipe.

Althaus kept the Eagles in the game despite getting outshot by Breck 25-14.

DAVID LA VAQUE