In the final game of the 2023-2024 hockey season the defending state champions and #2 seed Notre Dame Academy Tritons took on the #4 seed Brookfield Stars, making their first appearance in the state high school hockey tournament since 2012.
Neither team was able to crack the net in the first period, but Notre Dame had two quality scoring chances that required Stars goalie Augustus Jones to come up big, and he met the challenge both times.
Notre Dame led the shots in the first period 10-6.
The scoreless action continued for the first 11:44 of the second period until Notre Dame was finally able to crack the net. Wyatt Herres corralled the puck at the point and fired a heavy shot through traffic and Joseph Coghlin deflected it into the net for the 1-0 lead.
Coghlin assisted on Notre Dame's next goal at 13:32 of the period. He hit Bryce Dahl with a pass at the top of the left faceoff circle and Dahl fired a slapper into the glove side corner off the pipe and in for the 2-0 lead.
The game's first penalty came at the 14:38 mark with an elbowing call on Brookfield's Cooper Simon, but the Stars managed to kill it off and keep the deficit at just two.
The Tritons out shot the Stars 12-1 in the second period.
The Stars showed more life to start the third period, but still had trouble putting the puck on the net. Notre Dame took their first penalty at 6:47 of the third period, a cross-checking minor to Kade McCarron.
After killing off the cross-checking minor the Tritons followed it with a penalty for too many men on the ice giving the Stars another power play but they were unable to convert. A sloppy line change by the Stars gave Notre Dame a power play for too many men on the ice, but the Tritons also couldn't convert.
The Stars pulled goalie Augustus Jones with 1:45 left on the clock. They were able to get one with the extra attacker. Drew Sparacino fired a shot at the net that got blocked in traffic but they were able to keep battling for it and Jack Templeton put it in.
Unfortunately for the Stars, Drew Heil of Notre Dame was able to score on the empty net on their next shift to make it 3-1, and defend their state title.
Augustus Jones had 24 saves in the loss of the Stars. Lleyton Jaschke had 16 saves for the Tritons in their title defense. Jaschke gave up just four goals in five playoff games.