New Richmond fans were sensing an opportunity based on Superior's needing two overtimes to defeat eighth-seeded Somerset/Osceola in the regional finals. The Spartans' approach was to spread the ice, usually keeping one forward out high in the neutral zone to draw out the Tiger's defenders. New Richmond played a fairly conservative 1-2-2 forecheck to try to prevent Superior from getting an odd-man rush. 

 

The Tigers got on the board first when Austin Zywiec passed from along the boards to Michael Bodsberg in the slot. Bodsberg shot over Scott Crawford's shoulder into the net.

 

Superior drew even with a power play goal shot by Dave Dalbeck from the middle of the rink at the blue line that made it's way through a crowd in front of the net that was screening Patrick Hailey. Daniel Litchke was credited with the assist. The Spartans took the lead three minutes later when a backhand pass from along the boards in the neutral zone from Nolan Holcombe to Litchke, who had gotten behind the New Richmond defense and was able to come in on Hailey alone and shot top shelf to score.

 

New Richmond drew even with a power play goal with about a minute left in the period. Crawford made the initial save of Parker Olson's shot but lost track of the puck, which was laying in the crease behind him. Max Skatrud lunged at the puck and poked it in before the Spartan defense could clear it out.

 

Superior regained the lead three and a half minutes into the second period as Brady Uotinen carried the puck up the boards into the Tiger's zone, got around the defense, and approached the net along the goal line. He passed out Caleb Dushkin in the slot, and he slammed it home.

 

That lead held until the ten minute mark when Josh Leavens took a pass from Tyler Montgomery and carried the puck into the Spartans zone one on one with a defender. At the top of the slot, Leavens did a nifty toe drag as he shuffled to his left and set up the defenseman as a screen, putting a low hard wrist shot through Crawford's five hole. With time winding down in the period, New Richmond's took the lead for good on a delayed penalty call with an extra attacker on the ice. Olson took a shot from the left that Crawford went down to stop and a big rebound came to the right. With the goalie laying on the ice, Nate Jones had a whole lot of net to shoot at, and he didn't miss. Skatrud also had an assist on what turned out to be the game winner.

 

Superior put on the pressure in the third period as Tiger fans kept one eye on the action on the ice, and the other eye on the game clock. But Hailey and the defense held firm and Tiger fans counted off the final seconds and another trip to Madison.