When asked if he’s ever had a bigger goal, Will Dosan said he didn’t think so, but noted he’s got three games to go in his high school career.
That’s because he was in the right spot at the right time.
The senior captain netted the game-winner with 3:15 left in double-overtime and St. Thomas Academy beat Cretin-Derham Hall 3-2 Friday in the Class 2A, Section 3 final at a sold-out Braemar Arena.
With almost everyone on their feet who was able, Gus Olson took a shot from near the boards and Dosan was just outside the blue paint to slam home the rebound for the far bigger of his two goals.
It’s the third straight year the schools have met for the section title. Cretin-Derham Hall won the previous two.
“St. Thomas has a lot of tradition, we got back to it and we’re going to the state tournament,” Dosan said.
Making its first appearance since 2021, the Cadets (23-5-0) will begin play Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center. Seedings and brackets are to be announced Saturday morning.
Marcus Matyas scored with 13.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and Nate Chorlton also scored for Cretin-Derham Hall (23-4-1), looking for its fourth straight state tournament berth.
Coach Matt Funk said the message to his team was to keep playing their game and get pucks behind the St. Thomas Academy defense and to the net.
“I thought it was going to take a bounce, anything to beat a good goaltender. We had two of the best goalies in the state out there tonight. … This one’s going to sting for a while but at the end of the day it was just an awesome hockey game.”
Cody Niesen made 41 saves for St. Thomas Academy; Owen Nelson matched that number for Cretin-Derham Hall
Down 2-1 with the goalie pulled, Cretin-Derham Hall hit two posts in a 20-second span in the final minute in regulation. With the offensive pressure maintained Jonny Bloedow had the puck on his stick in front of the St. Thomas Academy student section.
His pass across went to found Matyas all alone in the right circle and the sophomore hammered home a one-timer.
“We were definitely down a little bit, but our leaders stepped up and we fought through it,” said defenseman Pat Cronin. “In the first overtime we kind of turned the tide in the second half then came out hard in the second one.”
Even though both teams entered averaging at least five goals per game, a low-scoring affair was to be expected with each team also sporting a stingy defense. St. Thomas Academy entered the night allowing a mere 1.59 goals per game, Cretin-Derham Hall 1.70.
St. Thomas Academy took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period.
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On the penalty kill, Will Dosan, a Princeton-commit, perfectly read a Cretin-Derham Hall pass, picking it off in his own end. Taking off the other way with nothing but white ice between he and the goal, Dosan made a couple forehand-to-backhand-to-forehand moves before scoring low for a 2-1 advantage.
Chorlton, a Colorado College commit, scored on a quick wrister from the slot midway through the first period for a 1-0 Raiders’ lead, but St. Thomas answered just over four minutes later with the Harvard-bound Michael Mikan scoring from near the same spot at the other end during a 5-on-3 power play.
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