International Falls crushes Hutch

MINNEAPOLIS -- Senior forward Mitch LaVern scored twice and sparked a four-score onslaught that carried International Falls to a 6-0 shutout of Hutchinson in the boys state hockey tourney Wednesday night.

The Broncos will play top-ranked Warroad in Friday's semifinal round at Target Center. The Tigers, who lost their last four regular-season games before their shocking run through the Section 6A tournament, fell to 12-15.

The semifinal with Warroad is a rematch of a game the Broncos lost, 3-2, in overtime two weeks ago.

The Broncos (18-8) went up 1-0 on LaVern's tough shot from the right side in the first period. LaVern stuck the post in between the post and the goaltender's left pad.

Sauk Rapids-Rice 4, Rochester Lourdes 3

Senior center John Schultz didn't even see the biggest goal of his career.

''I just wound up and let it rip,'' Schultz said of the 20-footer that found the net with 1:15 left and lifted Sauk Rapids-Rice to a 4-3 victory over Rochester Lourdes in the Class A quarterfinals of Minnesota boys' hockey tournament Wednesday.

''I just fired it, didn't look, hopefully just send a prayer.''

The Storm (20-5-1) overcame a 3-0 deficit to win its 16th straight and advance to the semifinal round Friday at Target Center.

The Eagles (21-4-1) had one last shot at a tie, but sophomore Mark Stuart's full-rink desperation shot was gloved by senior goalie Michael Wichman just as the buzzer went off. Wichman's teammates already were celebrating as the puck bounded down the ice toward the goal.

''I wish it would have gone in,'' Eagles coach Jay Ness said.

Schultz's game-winner made up for a slip-up that led to an Eagles goal.

Schultz fell down with 16 seconds left in the first period, allowing sophomore wing Mike Lawler to score, giving Lourdes a 2-0 lead.

Breck 5, Fergus Falls 2

Junior forward Todd O'Hara credited his linemate and roommate for his second hat trick of the season.

''Jake Brenk is so fast, he gets so many breaks that if he doesn't get in the net, I can be right there to knock in the rebound when it pops out,'' O'Hara said after doing just that twice in Breck School's 5-2 quarterfinal victory over Fergus Falls in the boys state hockey tournament Wednesday.

O'Hara also scored on a power play off an assist from David O'Hagan as the Mustangs (22-3-1) advanced to face Sauk Rapids-Rice (20-5-1) in the Class A semifinals Friday.

Warroad 2, Farmington 0

The top-ranked Warroad Warriors relied on defense, physical play, and two scores from junior Cory Monshaugen to advance to the semifinals of the boys state hockey tournament Wednesday night.

In a game that featured just one penalty, the Warriors (20-5-2) shut out Farmington 2-0 at Target Center.

''They don't have any gifted scorers. They know their defense has to be tight because they know they're not going to put up more than two or three goals,'' Tigers coach Shawn Anderson said.

The Warriors, who will face International Falls (19-7-0) on Friday, didn't need any more than that.

The game was scoreless for 22 minutes until Monshaugen slapped in a rebound after Mitch Thortsen's shot was denied by goaltender Bernie Reis.

Farmington, which managed just two shots on goal in the first period, came close to tying it up several times in the second period, most notably when junior forward John Feely took a shot that just skipped over the net at the buzzer.

Before that, junior forward Kevin Lugowski stole the puck and broke for the net but was denied by senior goaltender Brian McFarlane, who made a glove save at 5:18. McFarlane made a similar stop on senior David Schultz's breakaway shot.