State Girls Hockey: Big 3rd period sends Proctor-Hermantown into State Championship game

The Proctor-Hermantown Mirage, the Section 7A champion, was the first qualifier for the 2022 Girls Hockey State Championship game following a 4-1 victory over Orono in the Class A semifinal on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Orono Junior Mae Grandy put Orono on the board early in the first period with a goal 1:26 into the game. That proved to be the only goal scored in the first period as Orono took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

The second period had no scoring as Proctor/Hermantown had two power-play opportunities but failed to score on either.

After being held scoreless through two periods, Proctor/Hermantown scored four goals in the third period. Hannah Graves, assisted by Rylee Gilbertson and Kate Sandelin scored first, followed by a goal from Reese Heitzman on an assist from Nya Sieger. Later in the period Jane Eckstrom’s goal on an assist Sieger from brought the score to 3-1. Finally, Heitzman’s empty-net goal assisted by Sieger and Izy Fairchild locked up the Mirage’s victory.

Orono’s junior goalie, Celia Dahl finished the game with 22 saves while Proctor/Hermantown’s senior goalie Abby Pajar finished with 29 saves.

Proctor/Hermantown advances to play the winner of the Warroad vs. South St. Paul semifinal in the Class A 2022 Girls Hockey State Championship is tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center. Orono will play in the third-place game tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Xcel Energy Center.