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Maple Grove takes overtime thriller over Centennial/Spring Lake Park

By Ryan Williamson, SportsEngine, 01/18/22, 7:00PM CST

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The Cougars tied the game late in the third period, but the Crimson had the game winner quickly as overtime began.


Maple Grove’s Tia Rice battles for the puck with Centennial’s Katie Booth in the third period. Rice scored the goal in overtime giving the Crimson the 2-1 win over the Cougars. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

So far this season, Maple Grove has played in a pair of overtime games and are 2-0. The reason for that success appears to be one player—senior forward Tia Rice.

Rice has scored the game-winner in both of the Crimson’s overtime wins this season. The latest came on Tuesday as she scored 31 seconds into overtime to push Maple Grove past Centennial/Spring Lake Park, 2-1.

Heading into the game against the Cougars, Rice was third on the team with 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists). Five of those goals proved to be game-winning goals for Maple Grove, ranked No. 7 in the Jan. 12 Class 2A coaches’ poll. 

Besides just being an impact scorer, she is also considered to be one of the team leaders.


Goaltender Dani Strom stopped 30 shots on goal Tuesday night at the Centennial Sports Arena in the Crimson’s 2-1 victory over the Cougars. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

First Report

After Centennial tied the game late in the third period, Maple Grove senior forward Tia Rice scored just 31 seconds into overtime as the Crimson defeated Northwest Suburban Conference rival Centennial/Spring Lake Park 2-1 on Tuesday at Centennial Sports Arena.

Both Maple Grove (12-5-2, 7-1) and the Cougars struggled to get on the board as the teams were knotted up 0-0 through two periods.

Six minutes into the third period, the Crimson, ranked No. 7 in the latest Class 2A coaches’ poll, broke the scoreless tie. Kelsey Olson deflected in a shot to put her team ahead 1-0.

In the game’s final minutes, Centennial (12-7-1, 5-3-1) began to press as the Cougars looked for the equalizer. It finally came with 1:04 remaining in regulation with Ella O’Hearn snuck a shot past Crimson goalie Dani Strom to tie things up and send the game to overtime.

Maple Grove attacked right from the faceoff in overtime, needing just 31 seconds before Rice fired a shot and give the Crimson the win.


Centennials’ Ella O’Hearn scored the lone-goal Tuesday night in the Cougars' 2-1 loss in overtime to the Crimson. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

The MN Girls' Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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