Warroad defeats Hibbing/Chisholm 5-4 in overtime to win Class 1A boys hockey championship

All across the tear-stained ice, Warroad players and coaches had stories to tell, but some were too choked up to speak.

The head coach, the senior star and the backup goalie who became this tournament’s accidental hero, all were celebrating something that hadn’t happened for Warroad in 21 years.

Trailing Hibbing/Chisholm by a goal in the Class 1A boys hockey championship game, Warroad tied it with 46 seconds remaining in regulation.

Then, a minute into overtime, Mooney Shaugabay slammed home the game-winner by the side of the net, giving Warroad a 5-4 victory on Saturday, March 7, at Grand Casino Arena.

An announced crowd of 10,518 — a record for the Class 1A title game — watched Warroad earn its first state title since 2005. The devastating loss extended a state championship drought for Hibbing that stretches to 1973.

“I had a good feeling when we tied it, when we pulled the goalie because I’ve been on the other side of that before,” Warroad coach Jay Hardwick said.

This was Hardwick’s 14th season as Warroad coach, and he had lost in the championship game in 2022 and ’23.

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Shaugabay, the senior star, had shared a moment with Hardwick on Feb. 26 as the team celebrated a section championship.

“I gave him a hug,” Shaugabay said. “I was like, ‘Let’s go get this one for you, because we’ve been through too much.’ ”

It looked like another heartbreak for the Warriors, who had built a 3-1 lead, only to see top-seeded Hibbing strike for three third-period goals, the last one coming with 3:45 remaining.

With the goalie pulled, Broden Hontvet took a shot from the point, and Warroad senior Gavin Andersen redirected it where it couldn’t be stopped, right into the net.

Overtime meant it was still up for grabs, but Hibbing/Chisholm’s players had just had the wind kicked out of them.

“Right before they scored [the tying goal], we had a 4-on-2 rush and the shot just missed the net,” said Tate Swanson, Hibbing’s Mr. Hockey candidate. “If that’s couple inches closer, we’re the state champs.”

Then there’s Warroad senior goalie Patrick Kennedy. He thought he would be on the bench for the state tournament, but starter Finn Hanson injured his back during the section final.

In this state championship game, Kennedy made 43 saves, including 22 in the second period.

“If you ever wanted a Cinderella story, there it is,” Hardwick said. “… I mean, he played unbelievable the whole tournament. Especially that second period. I don’t even know how he made some of those saves.”

This Warroad team had so much to say, so much to tell. And they had a six-hour bus ride home to do it.

“It’ll be a short bus ride,” Hardwick said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun when we get home. I’m sure there will be a fire truck there for us and the police and everyone else.”