Eagles advance to section semifinals with 4-1 win over Holy Family

The 12th of January seems like a long time ago.

Holy Family came to Eden Prairie Community Center for a Thursday night matchup with the Eagles and defeated the home team 3-2. The Fire followed that victory by rolling off 11 straight wins.

That streak has ended.

In the boys Section 2AA quarterfinal game at Victoria Recreation Center on Friday, a game delayed and rescheduled several times due to the recent winter storm, the fifth-seeded Eagles took care of business, delivering a resounding 4-1 victory over fourth-seeded Holy Family.

The win advances Eden Prairie to the Section 2AA semifinals against top-seeded Chanhassen on Saturday at Braemar Ice Arena in Edina. The opening faceoff is set for 4 p.m.

“We’re just happy to advance,” Eden Prairie head coach Mike Terwilliger said. “They’re a really good team. So we’re happy with our effort. The guys were ready and excited to play.”

The multiple delays and time shifts of the game didn’t seem to have an effect on the Eagles, who made it a priority to stay focused and ready to play when the opportunity arrived.

“Every night we were prepared to play the next day,” Senior captain Ryan Koering said. “We were just ready to go from the get-go. That’s our coaches keeping us ready. And that’s players staying prepped the night before. It wasn’t easy but I think it paid off.”

The two teams skated to a scoreless first period, with the Eagles holding Holy Family to just two shots in the opening 17 minutes, as they re-introduced their physical style to the Fire.

“That was good playoff hockey right there,” Eagles assistant coach Tom Gerdes said. “We were very physical, which is what we told them: [Holy Family] doesn’t see that very often.”

Gerdes said coaches and players spent time watching film of the Fire, a skill team which prefers to play finesse hockey. The strategy for the Eagles was clear: play a physical game to disrupt skill players in Holy Family’s lineup.

“We showed the kids that as long as we check, we’re gonna be good and we’re gonna be tough out,” Gerdes said.

The Eagles strayed away from their game in the second period, resulting in more shots and chances for Holy Family.

“They won 20 games so they’re gonna push back,” Terwilliger said. “But we thought there were times in the second period we were a little looser with our play than we wanted to be.”

Eden Prairie had a big opportunity at 8:30 of the second period when Teddy Townsend broke loose on a breakaway. The junior captain was pulled down by a Holy Family defender and awarded a penalty shot.

Townsend said afterwards that he had an idea of the move he’d hoped to make on Fire goaltender Bennett Reinhard. 

“I wanted to come from the right side, get a fake shot and try to go backhand,” he said. 

Reinhard made the stop on Townsend, who gave the netkeeper full credit. 

“It was a good save by the goalie. I thought I executed it decently. But it’s not a very good feeling to miss a shootout,” he said.

Townsend said he’d rather have had a power play after being brought down on the breakaway. He got his wish just a minute and a half later. And he wasted no time to capitalize.

With a one-man advantage for the Eagles, Townsend buried a rebound to break open the scoring. Assists went to Koering and freshman Mason Moe on the play at 11:02 of the second period.

“I think it was Mason that got deflected or something,” Townsend recalled. “I was far side. I got a lucky bounce so it’s good play by him.”

In the third period, it was Moe getting loose on the breakaway, taking a pass from junior Cole Saterdalen. Moe launched a top-shelf shot past Reinhard for a 2-0 Eden Prairie lead at 3:54.

Just 1:46 later, Saterdalen blasted a shot from the left circle off a two-on-one break, giving the Eagles a commanding 4-0 lead with 11:20 remaining in the third period.

“We almost had another couple goals on some two-on-ones,” Terwilliger said. “We’re lucky to capitalize. Saterdalen made a great pass to Mason on the break away and then he made a great play on the two on one too.”

Eden Prairie goaltender Isaiah Paulnock had 24 saves in the game. A Holy Family goal with 10:03 to play spoiled the shutout for the junior. The Eagles picked up an open-net goal from sophomore Chase Klute in the closing minutes to secure the 4-1 win.

“I think we outworked the bounces again,” junior Andy Earl said, recalling a familiar refrain in recent weeks whereby the Eagles find ways to roll with the punches and create opportunities.

“Coach Twigs has been on us about doing grit before skill,” he added. “We just really outworked them, had grit, we got the rebounds and scored them. So right place, right time.”

The Eagles’ opponent in the semifinals, top-seed Chanhassen, is ranked fourth in the state. Over the course of the regular season, the Storm have split a pair of games with seventh-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret’s, a team the Eagles defeated 2-0 on Feb. 4. 

Chanhassen has also split two games with Gentry Academy, while defeating White Bear Lake and top-ranked Minnetonka 4-1 in a Dec. 10 matchup.

“They’re very good, so we’re excited to play them. We can’t wait,” Terwilliger said. “They’re a really fast team and they’re very skilled. And they’ve won what, 22 games or 23 games? So that’s impressive. They beat some really good teams, so it’s going to take a great effort.”

Chanhassen’s quarterfinal game, a 9-0 rout of Bloomington Jefferson, took place on Tuesday, giving the Storm four days to rest and prepare for Saturday’s game. 

With the 4 p.m. puck drop at Braemar, the Eagles will be playing their second game in about 19 hours. But Terwilliger has no concerns about his team being ready for the challenge.

“There wasn’t a whole lot we had to say today,” he said. “So it shouldn’t be a whole lot tomorrow. We’re playing the section semis against the No. 1 seed at Braemar. That’s a pretty cool opportunity. Great atmosphere. We’ll be ready, but I know Chan will too. So it’ll be a good test.”

Koering, who was recognized as a finalist for the Mr. Hockey/Frank Brimsek Award yesterday, is looking forward to taking on the top seed.

“I know that they’re a good team,” he said. “They’ve played some good teams, beat some good teams, but you know, we’re a good team too. And so all the boys are ready to go and we couldn’t be more excited for tomorrow.”