Instant Classics See Bismarck and Lone Star Advance
by Sam Krollman
Photos by Christian Larson
Rochester 1 @ Bismarck 2 (OT) (Bismarck Wins Robertson Cup Semifinal 2-1): In semifinal one, 60 minutes would not be enough, but Julian Beaumont would be the hero for the Bismarck Bobcats, defeating the Rochester Jr. Americans by a final score of 2-1, securing the first spot in the Robertson Cup National Championship on Tuesday. The opening frame brought plenty of chances, but seven saves from Danick Leroux for Rochester and five for Tomas Anderson kept the game scoreless heading into the first intermission. However, just 90 seconds into the middle frame, a loose puck off a point shot from Matthew Rafalski found the stick of Keanu Krenn, and he buried it past Leroux to give the Bobcats the lead. That lead would not last long, as just two and a half minutes later, a bouncing puck found its way to Owen King, and he batted it past Anderson to bring the game level, and that would progress all the way to overtime. Just past the midway point of the extra session, a tic-tac-toe between Rafalski and Tommy Cronin found its way to Beaumont, and the Bobcats captain buried it to book their ticket to the National Championship.
Wisconsin 4 @ Lone Star 5 (OT) (Lone Star Wins Robertson Cup Semifinal 2-1): In the nightcap to finish Day 3, 60 minutes would once again not be enough, but Cooper Faughnan would be the hero for the Lone Star Brahmas, defeating the Wisconsin Windigo by a final of 5-4, securing back-to-back berths in the Robertson Cup National Championship. Just under six minutes would be all it took for Lone Star to take the lead when a beautiful cross-crease pass from Vladimir Saibel found a streaking Kristo Pitkanen to give the Brahmas the lead. Just past the midway point of the period, with the Brahmas on the man advantage, a nice catch at the blue line from Ryan Comishock kept the puck in, and his cross-ice pass found Saxton Tess to double the Brahmas lead. Early in the second, with the Windigo on the man advantage, 29 seconds would be all they needed to cut the deficit back to one, as Michael Ryan found Hunter Hayes, and he buried it past Lone Star netminder Ryan Cameron. With just under eight minutes to go, once again the Windigo found themselves on the man advantage, and once again, they made Lone Star pay, as Hayes would connect on a pass from Braydon Beahm to tie the game at two. Late in the middle frame, the Windigo would find themselves on the man advantage once again, this time Beahm beat Cameron to give the Windigo a 3-2 lead heading into the third period. Early in the third period, Hayes would complete his hat trick to give the Windigo a two-goal lead, but goals 26 seconds apart from Tess and Charlie Emmons brought the game to overtime. Just under three minutes into the extra session, a centering pass found its way to the front of the net, where it would be deflected by Faughnan past Beau Altman to send the Brahmas back to the National Championship. Cameron would finish with 19 saves, while Altman finished with 24.
