Puck drops on ND state girls' hockey tournament in Fargo

FARGO  – Four WDA teams will compete this week at the ND state girls’ hockey tournament, including defending champion and No. 3 seed Bismarck Legacy-Bismarck High. The other conference participants include (4) Bismarck Century, (7) Mandan and (8) Minot United. The quarterfinals are Thursday, Feb. 26 with (8) Minot United taking on (1) Fargo North-South. Game two has (4) Bismarck Century facing (5) West Fargo United. Game three has (7) Mandan meeting (2) Grand Forks. The final game as (3) Legacy-Bismarck High square off against (6) Fargo Davies. Consolation and semifinals are Feb. 27. The fifth place, third place and championships are on Feb. 28.
What last year’s tournament showed is a team can string three wins together with good goaltending, some puck luck and playing with energy.
Top seed Fargo North-South is the favorite. The Spruins are the strongest team in the field, going unbeaten in the regular season. However, a handful of tourney teams in the field have played them close on a few occasions throughout the regular season. So what will be the recipe for success in Fargo?
Here are four things to look for.

Good starts
Games can’t be won in the first period, but they often can be lost with a lackluster start. Teams that have good energy from the opening puck drop can transform that into early scoring opportunities and often the lead.
It’s the little things
Tournament play often comes down to the little things. The areas of the game that are vital, but often overlooked. Examples include blocking a shot; winning a defensive zone faceoff; clearing a puck out of the zone at a critical time; and making smart line changes. Those areas become key when the stakes are high and the game is  close.
Timely special teams
Winning teams often have solid special teams. And while a good power play or penalty kill is important, sometimes it’s when a team scores a goal or kills off a penalty that is the true test. Did a team net a power play goal late in the final period trailing by one? Did it kill off a penalty right after scoring a goal to keep the momentum?
Best players need to be your best players
It’s an old hockey cliche, but in the big moments the top players have to perform. The teams that do get good performances from their top players will be in good shape to advance.   
 

WDA Team capsules
(3) Bismarck Legacy-Bismarck High
Head Coach: Nick Johnson
Record: 16-5-1-0
Wins over top four tournament seeds: 1 vs. Grand Forks; 1. vs. Century
Longest win streak: 8 games
Longest losing streak: 2 games (twice)
Most goals scored in a game: 8 (vs. Dickinson)
Most goals allowed in a  game: 4 (vs. Fargo North-South; West Fargo United)
Record in one-goal games: 5-4
Record when scoring first: 14-0
Record when allowing first goal: 3-6
Record when leading after 2 periods: 14-0
Record when trailing after 2 periods: 3-6
Record when tied after 2 periods: 3-0
Statistical Leaders
Points: Alivia Rask, 26; Ainsley Johnson, 21: Goals: A. Rask, 18; Assists: A. Johnson, 15; Berklie Moos, 12
Goaltending
Wins: Rylee Otto, 14; Tesha Kostelecky, 8; GAA: Otto, 1.55; Kostelecky, 1.62; Save Pct: Otto, 93.0; Kostelecky, 90.8
Last year’s tournament: Champion (Win vs. Mandan; Win vs. Fargo North-South; Win vs. West Fargo United)                                             Best Tournament Finish: Champion, 2025

(4) Bismarck Century
Head Coach: Tim Meyer
Record: 15-8-0
Wins over top four tournament seeds: 1 vs. Legacy-BHS
Longest win streak: 6 games
Longest losing streak: 2 games (twice)
Most goals scored in a game: 8 (vs. Devils Lake
Most goals allowed in a game: 6 (vs. Fargo North-South)
Record in one-goal games: 3-1
Record when scoring first: 13-3
Record when allowing first goal: 2-5
Record when leading after 2 periods: 14-0
Record when trailing after 2 periods: 0-5
Record when tied after 2 periods: 1-3
Statistical Leaders
Points: Elli Mattson, 47; Macie Vig, 44; Morgan Reiger, 40; Goals: Mattson, 21; Assists: Mattson, 26; Vig, 24; Reiger, 23
Goaltending
Wins: Ellie Horner, 8; Karley Graber, 7; GAA: Graber, 1:34; Horner, 2.07; Kostelecky, 1.62; Save Pct: Graber, 92.2; Horner, 91.5
Last year’s tournament: Did Not Place (Loss vs. Minot High; Loss vs. Grand Forks)                                                                                             Best Tournament Finish: Runner-up, 2024

(7) Mandan
Head Coach: Anthony Swearingen
Record: 11-11-0-1
Wins over top four tournament seeds: 1 vs. Century
Longest win streak: 4 games
Longest losing streak: 3 games
Most goals scored in a game: 9 (vs. Devils Lake)
Most goals allowed in a game: 6 (vs. West Fargo United)
Record in one-goal games: 4-2
Record when scoring first: 7-3
Record when allowing first goal: 4-9
Record when leading after 2 periods: 7-1
Record when trailing after 2 periods: 1-10
Record when tied after 2 periods: 3-1
Statistical Leaders
Points: Adrianna Kautzman, 30; Tayah Myhre; Goals: Kautzman, 16; Afton Leingang, 11; Assists: Myhre, 18; Dakota Swearingen, 14; Kautzman, 14
Goaltending
Wins: Taylor Goldman, 9; Laaden Dobitz, 2; GAA: Goldman, 2.38; Dobitz, 2.94; Save Pct: Goldman, 89.4; Dobitz, 85.8
Last year’s tournament: Sixth (Loss vs. Legacy-BHS; Won vs. Fargo Davies; Loss vs. Grand Forks)                                                                   Best Tournament Finish: Third (2017)

(8) Minot United
Head Coaches: Christopher Stokke, Makayla Neuhalfen
Record: 6-15-2-0
Wins over top four tournament seeds: None
Longest win streak: 2 games (three times)
Longest losing streak: 4 games (twice)
Most goals scored in a game: 5 (vs. Dickinson
Most goals allowed in a game: 12 (vs. West Fargo United)
Record in one-goal games: 4-0
Record when scoring first: 6-2
Record when allowing first goal: 2-13
Record when leading after 2 periods: 6-0
Record when trailing after 2 periods: 1-14
Record when tied after 2 periods: 1-1
Points: Brynn Hanson, 18; Julia Stoner, 15; Goals: Hanson, 17; Stoner, 11; Assists: Hanson, 11 
Goaltending
Wins: Faith Seekings, 8; GAA: Seekings, 3.59; Save Pct: Seekings, 91.0
Last year’s tournament: Fourth (Win vs. Century Won vs. West Fargo United; Loss vs. Fargo North-South)                                                   Best Tournament Finish: Third (2023, 2020)

Photo by Lyle Ripplinger, WDA photographer