Hermantown's disallowed goal in overtime title game added strain to both teams

Hermantown savors victory twice after first "winner" is waved off.

March 14, 2017 at 10:07PM
Hermantown players including Dylan Samberg (12) react after a goal scored in overtime that sent them into celebration was waved off after review. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com Players competed during the boys' hockey state tournament Class 1A championship game Saturday, March 11, 2017 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Hermantown players, including Dylan Samberg (12), reacted prematurely to a goal that was nullified. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Emotions spilled onto the ice after Hermantown's apparent game-winning goal in the second overtime of the Class 1A title game.

Monticello/Annandale/Maple Lake goalie Tyler Klatt lay on his stomach, dejected. A jubilant mob of Hermantown players gathered at the other end of Xcel Energy Center. Moments later both parties were brought back for more high-pressure hockey after officials looked at replay and determined that Hawks forward Ryan Sandelin interfered with Klatt in the crease on Tyler Watkins' shot.

No goal at 11:44 of the overtime meant both groups of players had to regroup.

"I was mad at myself, I'll tell you that," Sandelin said. "I wasn't forgiving myself if we didn't win this game."

As for Klatt, Moose teammate Nick Zwack said, "After having thought we had just lost, for him to bounce back and keep playing the way he had been playing, it was pretty incredible."

Hermantown coach Bruce Plante had been here before even if the experience didn't immediately register.

In 2010, Hermantown edged Mahtomedi 7-6 in overtime of the semifinals. Mahtomedi appeared to score at the end of regulation, but video replay showed the puck was just short of the goal line as the clock expired. Zephyrs players piled up in celebration after the referee signaled goal, only to learn it did not count.

"I said I had never seen that before, but one of our coaches reminded me that same exact thing happened to [Mahtomedi]," Plante said.

Well, not exactly. In 2010, premature celebration by the Zephyrs was followed by defeat. On Saturday, Hermantown handled the emotional jolt, then rallied to win the game.

"It was one of those deals that put a little bit of wind back in our sail, but obviously we weren't able to finish it off," Moose coach Eric Nelson said. "[Hermantown] just came back with that little extra push and it ended it their favor."

Hermantown players and coaches watched on the ice as a goal scored in overtime went under review. The goal was waved off. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com Players competed during the boys' hockey state tournament Class 1A championship game Saturday, March 11, 2017 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Hermantown players and coaches watched on the ice as a goal scored in overtime went under review. The goal was waved off. ANTHONY SOUFFLE ï anthony.souffle@startribune.com Players competed during the boys’ hockey state tournament Class 1A championship game Saturday, March 11, 2017 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.

See More