Seventh-ranked Cretin-Derham Hall put an end to Park’s 2020-2021 boys hockey season Friday with a 5-1 win in the Section 3AA Semifinal Friday at St. Thomas Ice Arena.

The two teams were tied at 1-apiece after the first period. But the Cadets scored two goals in the second – the second on a deflating lucky shot — and added two more in the third to advance to the section finals.

“Obviously we were pretty significant underdogs,” said Park head coach Jay Moser. “That’s a pretty good hockey team out there. The boys worked our plan as good as we could of.

“That second goal was just a fluke,” Moser continued. “When you’re outgunned you can’t afford to have breaks go the other way like that, just complete luck. But otherwise the guys played hard, they played well and I’m proud of them. They didn’t leave anything in the locker room, they left it all on the ice.”

St. Thomas Academy (12-4-3) will play Rosemount (911) in the Section 3AA Finals Wednesday, March 24 for the right to advance to the state tournament.

Park ended its season with an 8-12 record.

“Obviously it was a weird year, but overall I think we overachieved a little bit,” said Moser. “This was not a skilled group. But in terms of character and work ethic and commitment to doing what they need to do to be able to compete in hockey games (it was) probably the best team we’ve had in that regard. Over the course of the season, big picture, these guys did fantastic.”

St. Thomas Academy scored first at the 9:49 mark of the first period. Park sophomore Nicholas Lemire evened the game at 1-all with 12:47 on the clock with an even strength goal from an assist by junior Michael Schult.

But the Cadets dominated the action in the final two periods, outshooting the Wolfpack 12-5 in the second and 12-4 in the third. STA finished with a 33-13 edge in shots attempted.

Earlier in the week, the second period was once again good to Park as the fifth-seeded Wolfpack scored three goals in a 3-2 win over fourth-seeded Bloomington Jefferson, Wednesday, March 17 in the Section 3AA quarterfinals.

Junior Samuel Janski got the eventual game-winner on a power play as he ripped in a shot at the 16:18 mark of the second period to break a 2-all tie. Neither team scored in the third period. It was Janski’s ninth goal of the season.

Senior Colin Jungwirth and junior Michael Schult scored Park’s first and second goals, Jungwirth at 3:11 into the second and Schult at the 5:42 mark. Bloomington Jefferson tied the game at 2-all five minutes later, setting the stage for Janski’s heroics.

Bloomington Jefferson got the only goal of the first period. The Park stormed back to take charge with three goals in the second.