Grand Forks Central hockey holds off rival Red River for East Region title in 2-1 win
Feb. 17—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Red River's Griffen Haagenson scored the first goal of the East Region championship game against Grand Forks Central Saturday at Purpur Arena.
It was the only goal Central's Jaxon Washburn allowed in the game.
The Knights weathered the first period against a Red River team that held the puck in their offensive zone for the majority of the first 17 minutes. Washburn saw 13 shots in the period, the highest total in the 2-1 Central win.
"(Washburn) won the player of the game, for our team, award," Central coach Grant Paranica said. "He's been stellar back there for us. He has a calming effect on the team. We knew we could rely on him. The guys have confidence in him. If we make a mistake, we know he's going to be there to backstop us."
Washburn was also named to the East Region All-Conference team after the Knights' win.
Central managed just four shots on goal in the first. The Knights held the Roughriders to just 16 shots on goal the rest of the game and evened its game total with Red River, 29-24 Riders.
The rest of the game was relatively quiet. The Knights tied the game at 1 early in the second period off a Gavin Wockenfuss goal. It was the only offense for either team for over 20 minutes of game time.
"I thought we started well in the first period and then took our foot off the gas a little bit," Red River coach Tim Skarperud said. "It's just two good hockey teams that fought and battled and competed, and they got one extra today."
Then, with 8 minutes, 56 seconds left in the third, the puck popped off Red River goaltender Tucker Hager. Central's Markus Lunski secured it and jammed the puck in over Hager to score the go-ahead goal, which sends the Knights to the state tournament as a top seed.
"We thought we were playing well," Paranica said. "We just weren't getting the puck to the net enough and penetrating that net front area. We started doing that a little bit better in the second and in the third, and that's what got us our game-winning goal."
Red River pulled Hager late in the period in favor of an extra attacker, but the Riders were unable to capitalize.
Hager ended the game with 22 saves. Red River isn't concerned heading into the state tournament next week, Skarperud said.
"We're fine," he said. "We're good. Obviously, next weekend is where we want to be and we put ourselves in a good spot here."
Central's Evan Panzer, Mack Blue, Cale Quamme and Finn Lockwood were also named to the East Region All-Conference team. They were joined by Rylan Bydal, Grant Gardner, Tyson Ulmer and Mason Ray from Red River. Gardner was also named the outstanding senior athlete.
Saturday's game was the 18th meeting between Central and Red River in the EDC tournament. The Knights are now 10-8 against the Riders in these games.
It's the second time Central has beat Red River in the final in the last three years. The first was a 6-1 Knights win in 2021.
Central's win gives the Knights their first state tournament berth in two years.
"We're super pumped," Washburn said. "It's been two years since we've been there, so we want to go bring it home."
