Lakeville North gets back to state for Buck

Christi Vetter and Ashley Kloncz scored two goals apiece for Lakeville North in the Panthers' 5-2 Class 2A, Section 1 championship victory over Lakeville South. But the two forwards didn't want to talk about their accomplishments afterward.

"We did this for ourselves; [we] wanted to get to state for us," Vetter said. "But I feel like it's more for Coach."

Added Kloncz: "We did this for Buck."

Buck Kochevar suffered a severe head injury after an on-ice fall during a practice in last year's postseason. He spent two weeks in the hospital and still has some lingering side effects from the incident that kept him off the ice for a year. He was cleared to skate after the Panthers defeated Dodge County in the Feb. 11 section semifinals.

"The moments on the ice -- those little shin pad taps with my stick -- I miss that," Kochevar said in the days before he was cleared, when he was still forced to coach from afar.

After Lakeville North earned its trip back to state (after a 2010 appearance), he added, "I tell you, it was an emotional roller coaster. I'm speechless a little bit."

Bracket chatter• Breck assistant coach Charles Morin will have an eye on the Class 2A bracket as well. His daughter, Sidney, is a prominent junior defenseman at Minnetonka.

• Hutchinson's Sara Carlson surpassed the 300-point mark for her career this season.

• Lakeville North set program records for victories (22) and goals scored (112) this season. Sophomore forward Alexis Joyce's 26 goals and 58 assists reset single-season bests.

• Red Wing also set program records for victories (19) and goals scored (147) this season.

• Mounds View coach Peter Aus took over seven games into the season. He retired from Bethel University's men's program in 2007 as the program's career wins leader. He coached boys' hockey at Litchfield and Willmar from 1970-92, but this is his first state tournament appearance as a head coach.

• Hutchinson's eighth-grade forward Emma Johnson is the niece of South St. Paul coach Dave Palmquist. The teams are on opposite sides of the bracket.

• New Ulm coach Angela Zeig has reached the state tournament in each of her first four seasons behind the bench.

Following the action• Tickets are available one hour before each afternoon or evening session. Tickets are $17 for adults and $11 for students for championship sessions, and $12 for adults and $8 for students for consolation sessions.

• Semifinal and championship games for both classes will be broadcast live on Ch. 45. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games will also be streamed live and free online at www.prep45.com.