Proctor/Hermantown skates past Albert Lea, into Class A State semifinals

The Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey team skated past Albert Lea in the Minnesota State High School Class A state quarterfinals Wednesday at the Xcel Energy Center. The 6-2 victory secures their spot back in the semifinals.

The defending state champion Mirage entered the day the third seed with a 19-7-1 record facing off against the 14-10-1 unseeded Tigers.

Nya Sieger scored first for Proctor/Hermantown with Jane Eckstrom adding another first period goal to lead 2-0 after the first frame. Then in the second period Izy Fairchild, Hannah Graves and Sieger added to the Mirage’s lead, with Sieger scoring shorthanded.

The Tigers’ Liley Steven would score once in the second, with the Mirage leading 5-1 after two. Graves and Albert Lea’s Esther Yoon would each tally a goal in the third period.

Senior goalie Abby Pajari would make 11 saves helping the Mirage to the 6-2 victory. For the full box score, click here.

Proctor/Hermantown (20-7-1) advances to face second seeded Orono (25-3) in the semifinals Friday at 11am in St. Paul. The championship game is set for 4pm Saturday. For the full Class A bracket, click here.

The semifinal and championship games will be aired on MeTV.