Two Dozen Action Photos from Wayzata Hockey Team's Trip to 2013 State Tournament

Wayzata was never even supposed to play in St. Paul this year.

Heavy underdogs going into the section finals, the Trojans continued their strong late-season momentum and upset Benilde-St. Margarat's earlier this month to retain a slot in the state tournament's shrinking bracket.

Wayzata's first test on the big stage came Friday night against No. 5 seed Centennial. 

A physical tone was set early, and Centennial took several penalties for infractions at or near the net—including one for sending goalie Aaron Dingman headfirst into the left goaltender's pipe. Thanks to a helmet that did its job, Dingman stayed in the game and went on make several outstanding (and game-saving) stops through three-plus periods of hockey.

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Wayzata trailed 1-0 with less than 90 seconds to go in the third period, and their improbable run toward a state championship appeared to be on life support. 

But with just 1:15 to play it was Jalen Wahl scoring the biggest goal of his young life—effectively sending the game into overtime and instantly reenergizing Wayzata's bench.

Taking the ice in overtime looking sharp and organized, Wayzata peppered the Centenial net and pressured the puck between the blue lines with renewed vigor. A laser off the stick of Chase Heising, who has scored several big goals for Wayzata this season, eventually broke through the guard of Patrick Munson and sent Wayzata into a Saturday semifinal game against Hill-Murray.

Entering as the tournament's No. 1 seed, Hill-Murray would once again put Wayzata in the underdog position. Defense dominated through the first two periods, and both Dingman and Hill-Murray goalie John Dugas showed Division I pedigree between the pipes. The lone goal was scored on the power play by Wayzata's Chase Haller.

Down by one and their season on the line, Hill-Murray came out of the locker room to begin the third period with a clear plan to play pressure defense and crowd the net. 

It worked.

Sophomore Davis Zarembinski and senior Ryan Black scored less than three minutes apart midway through the third period to give Hill-Murray all the offense they would need.

Hill-Muray would eventually go on to lose in the state tournament finals to eventual champion Edina.

For Wayzata, the loss caps a 2012-13 season that saw the Trojans win 22 hockey games and notch more than one memorable upset. Wayzata will lose six skaters from this year's squad due to graduation.