Both Games In The Minnesota State Hockey Tournament Went To Overtime, Proving There's Nothing In Sports That Beats It (BONUS: The 2026 All Hockey Hair Team)
The moment you're old enough to walk, you are old enough to skate in Minnesota. You're born with a hockey stick in your hand. You grow up playing youth hockey, and I'd imagine there are plenty of hopes and dreams about one day playing in the NHL. I'm sure there are plenty of hopes and dreams about one day playing college hockey, maybe for the University of Minnesota. But before all of that happens, the first major dream you have is to play in the Minnesota State Boys High School Hockey Tournament.
You want to play in that tournament. You want to win a state championship in that tournament. And if you could draw up the absolute perfect dream scenario? You're scoring an overtime game winner to win a state championship in that tournament.
2 kids got to turn that dream into reality yesterday at Grand Casino Arena while leading their team to immortality. First up in the Class A final was Mooney Shaugabay of Warroad. The Warriors hadn't won a state title since TJ Oshie was leading the way in 2005. Warroad was up 3-1, then found themselves down 4-3, then were able to get the train back on the tracks to send the game to overtime.
There was another massive comeback in the Class AA when Moorhead was down 4-1 in the 3rd period to Minnetonka. Moorhead hasn't won a state title since 2025, so it was a long 364 days for them. They weren't going to let another team come in there and take what is there's. So they dig down, grind it out, and manage to send the game to overtime.
One overtime wasn't enough, so it's on to double OT we go. And in 2OT, it was Evan Wanner with the dagger for Moorhead to complete the back-to-back titles.
The Year of the Overtime continues.
There's nothing like high school sports. Playing for the town that raised you, with all your best friends you've grown up playing with for the majority of your life. You just can't replicate that in anything else. College sports used to have a similar feel to them, but then NIL and the transfer portal stripped most of that away. At the end of the day, pro sports are a business. You can't replicate the pureness of winning a state championship in high school. When you're that age, it's not like you've been out exploring the world and gaining all sorts of life experience. At that point in your life, that school is your entire world. It's where you spend most of your day, it's where all your buddies are, it's the place that your life completely revolves around. And to be able to score an overtime winner to hang a state championship banner in that school? You're a legend. That's a goal that remains a part of your life's lore forever.
Advertisement
The Tourney always delivers. Obviously a lot of people mostly know the tournament because of the All Hockey Hair Team videos that come along with it. It's an annual tradition like no other. Sometimes it feels like the Hockey Hair Team sort of overshadows the actual hockey being played out on the ice. But that wasn't the case this year. Not because the boys didn't bring it in the flow department, but because you can't mention this tournament without talking about both overtime finals first.
But without further ado, here is the 2026 inductees to the Minnesota State All Hockey Hair squad.