Three consecutive trips to the girls’ hockey state semifinals have ended in defeat for Red Wing, and Coach Scott Haley said Friday’s loss to Blake was the toughest one yet.

Red Wing senior Nicole Schammel tied it late in regulation, but sophomore Carly Bullock scored 38 seconds into the second overtime, giving Blake a 5-4 triumph at Xcel Energy Center.

It was Bullock’s second goal of the game, fourth of the tournament and 49th of the season.

Blake is 4-0 in Class 1A state championship games, including last year’s win over Warroad, and the Bears can make it 5-0 on Saturday.

“Obviously winning state last year was one of the best [moments],” Bullock said. “But this was such a close game, double overtime. We all wanted it so bad.”

Schammel scored two goals, giving her 63 for the season and 271 for her career. Her game-tying goal with 4:59 left in the third period bounced off the goaltender and ping ponged off a defender back into the goal.

“When you score 500 career goals, I don’t think it’s lucky,” Blake coach Shawn Reid said. “There’s some skill there.”

Schammel had multiple scoring chances in overtime that were turned away by Blake’s eighth-grade goaltender Anna Kruesel. As a senior who played in five state tournaments without winning a title, Schammel said this was her toughest loss.

“I don’t even know what to say about it,” she said. “It just definitely is [the toughest].”

JOE CHRISTENSEN