Dodge County Hockey Pushes Top Team in State Tourney
In local Minnesota sports, Dodge County's boys' hockey team pushed the state's top-ranked team to its limit before falling in the state quarterfinals. The team's competitive playoff run has become a trending topic, highlighting the passion surrounding Minnesota's high school hockey scene.
Dodge County, the #8 seed, held the top-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm scoreless through the first period of the Class A state quarterfinal, with goaltender Wes Wegner making several key saves. The game remained a 0-0 tie at the first intermission despite Hibbing leading in shots on goal. The deadlock was broken in the second period when Hibbing/Chisholm scored three unanswered goals to take control of the game. They heavily outshot the Wildcats 22-4 in the dominant second period. Hibbing extended its lead to 4-0 in the third period before Dodge County got on the board. Dodge County's only goal came with just over three minutes remaining, a memorable between-the-legs shot by freshman Nolan Steele. Despite the 4-1 final score, the Wildcats battled until the end. The quarterfinal matchup was the opening game of the 2026 Class A tournament. Dodge County entered the tournament with a season record of 19-8-1. This was the program's second appearance in the state tournament, with their first trip in 2021.
