Sandburg used a strong defensive performance and limited York to just 2 goals while Max Kryzminski scored 3 times as the Eagles defeated the Dukes 6-2 in the third quarterfinal game on the state tournament on Thursday night. With the game tied at 1-1, Sandburg used a 3-0 run in the second quarter to pull away from the Dukes and never looked back in the victory.

After a see-saw first quarter dominated by the defenses and strong goaltending by Sandburg's Robert Pozdol and York's John Onstwedder, Kryzminski took matters into his own hands by making a steal, drawing an ejection, and eventually scoring off a pass by Joe Kamper to put the Eagles on top 1-0 late in the opening quarter. He then made a field block in the closing seconds of the period to keep Sandburg ahead by one goal heading into the second period.

Ben Herrmann responded quickly for the Dukes, as he scored after York won the swim-off to tie the game. Kryzminski had the answer for the Eagles, as he scored his second goal from the 7-meter mark to give Sandburg a 2-1 advantage. Sandburg would score on their next two possessions, as hole set Cody Siemeck got open at 2-meters to score his first goal of the game, then Jake Jenkot connected on a shot from outside 5-meters to make the score 4-1. The teams traded possessions until York's Colin Albue fed Krolkiewicz at 2-meters and he found the corner of the net to cut the lead in half. After Albue hit the post in the final minute of the first half, Sandburg's Jordan Derbas drove to the left post and scored from 2-meters out to give the Eagles a 5-2 lead at the break.

The defenses took over once again in the third quarter, as both teams went scoreless until Kryzminski drew a foul and scored on an immediate shot from outside 5-meters to put Sandburg on top 6-2 in the final minute of the period. Neither team would score in the fourth quarter, as the Eagles' defense held strong and their offense was content to hold on to their advantage until the final buzzer. York's Kent Van Horn hit the crossbar on a shot attempt late in the final period, while Kryzminski made a field block on Krolikiewicz' last chance effort at the end of regulation.

Pozdol finished with 12 saves in the win for the Eagles, while Onstwedder totaled 9 saves in the loss for the Dukes.