Hermantown leaned on special teams, timely rebounds and steady goaltending Tuesday night to earn a 2-1 victory over Hibbing/Chisholm in a matchup of the state’s top two Class 1A high school boys hockey teams at NorthStar Ford Arena.
Junior power forward Micklain Martalock opened the scoring midway through the first period when he converted a loose puck in the crease on a power play. The goal was Martalock’s team-leading 18th of the season and gave the Hawks an early edge in a game that featured heavy traffic around both nets.
Hibbing/Chisholm responded early in the second period when sophomore Cole Swanson broke free behind the Hermantown defense and finished a breakaway to tie the game at 1-1. The Bluejackets generated several quality chances during a fast-paced stretch of play, but Hermantown’s defensive structure and goaltending prevented the visitors from pulling ahead.
The decisive goal came late in the second period when sophomore forward Paxton Madill knocked in a rebound from close range, putting the Hawks back in front. Hermantown carried the 2-1 lead into the third period and protected it through sustained pressure from Hibbing/Chisholm, which was whistled for multiple penalties that disrupted its rhythm throughout the night.
Hermantown senior goaltender Bryce Francisco was a key figure down the stretch, finishing with 37 saves as the Bluejackets pressed for an equalizer. He turned aside several point-blank chances in the final minutes as the Hawks preserved the win.
The result strengthened Hermantown’s position at the top of the state Class 1A rankings while halting a Hibbing/Chisholm team that entered the night with only one loss.
Hermantown is scheduled to play at Shakopee on Saturday, while Hibbing/Chisholm will host Orono later that evening.