3A Final - #1 Luverne vs. #2 Mankato West
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2026 2:29 pm
#1 seed Luverne Cardinals (23-4-1) vs #2 seed Mankato West Scarlets (18-7-2)
February 26th, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT | @ Lund Center, Gustavus Adolphus College
Luverne enters the 3A Final for the 3rd time in four years, and they are looking to punch their ticket back to state for the fifth time in program history. The Cardinals have been very explosive as normal all year, and they come into this game having outscored their 3A competition 19-2 so far during their playoff run. They now head back to the Section Final to take on Mankato West, a team they have been on a collision course with all year, as while they did not play during the season, this is the same matchup from last year's Section Final overtime classic.
Roll Cards Roll Leaders- Srs. #21 Maddux Domagala (49-43-92 pts) & #8 Ladyn Lais (21-41-62 pts) lead the Cards offensive attack again this year. Sr #2 Jaxon Lais (11-46-57 pts) and Jrs. #4 Ben Hartquist (23-34- 57 pts) & #14 Rocky Rogers (14-29-43 pts) are the top defenders that have been key to getting Luverne out of their own end and also adding to the offensive attack.
Roll Cards Roll Goalie- Sr. #40 Gavin Hoven (20-4-1) 2.39 GAA .894 SV% has been their main guy in net all year again and he has been steady all season long. He took Luverne to State last year and will look to do the same thing again.
Roll Cards Roll Repeat- Luverne earned the right to attempt to do something that has not been done in a long time in this section, and that is repeat as 3A Champion. The last time this section has seen a team go back-to-back was way back in 2012 when New Ulm was finishing off a 3-peat. It's been a decade plus since anyone has been able to win 3A in consecutive years. It won't be easy, but the Cards are in position to do just that.
Roll Cards Roll Special Teams- The Power Play is at 38.1% and Penalty Kill is at 76.8%
Mankato West enters the 3A Final playing their best hockey of the year. They were able to survive a scare from their cross-town rivals in the Section Semifinal, but overall, the Scarlets are still a relatively young team that really found their game post-Christmas time, and they now enter the Section Final. They will look to add to that good 2nd half season push by getting revenge vs Luverne, who they lost to in overtime in the 3A Final last year, and a win would get them back to the State for the 1st time since 2016.
Scarlets Leaders- Jrs. #27 Jakobe Tosch (20-33-53 pts), #7 Keaton Dorzek (18-26-44 pts) & #17 Brodie Cox (14-17-31 pts) have been their steady and productive top line all season long. Jr. #12 Grady Schmidt (14-27-42 pts) & 9th grader #8 Brooks Baukol (9-27-36 pts) have been very good and also productive on the back end as they give the Scarlets good production from the blueline.
Scarlets Goalie- Soph #29 Blake Brekke (9-5-1) 2.17 GAA .925 SV% split the net most of the season but he has been their main guy in net of late and he has played very well the playoffs having earned the starting role.
Scarlets Second Half Surge- As noted, Mankato West is coming into this game playing their best hockey. The Scarlets have been one of the top teams in Class A post Christmas time. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the Scarlets are now (15-3-0) since December 29th. This current group has many of these players who were in the lineup for last year’s heartbreaker and are ready for their redemption.
Scarlets Special Teams- The Power Play is at 25.7% and Penalty Kill is at 83%
February 26th, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT | @ Lund Center, Gustavus Adolphus College
Luverne enters the 3A Final for the 3rd time in four years, and they are looking to punch their ticket back to state for the fifth time in program history. The Cardinals have been very explosive as normal all year, and they come into this game having outscored their 3A competition 19-2 so far during their playoff run. They now head back to the Section Final to take on Mankato West, a team they have been on a collision course with all year, as while they did not play during the season, this is the same matchup from last year's Section Final overtime classic.
Roll Cards Roll Leaders- Srs. #21 Maddux Domagala (49-43-92 pts) & #8 Ladyn Lais (21-41-62 pts) lead the Cards offensive attack again this year. Sr #2 Jaxon Lais (11-46-57 pts) and Jrs. #4 Ben Hartquist (23-34- 57 pts) & #14 Rocky Rogers (14-29-43 pts) are the top defenders that have been key to getting Luverne out of their own end and also adding to the offensive attack.
Roll Cards Roll Goalie- Sr. #40 Gavin Hoven (20-4-1) 2.39 GAA .894 SV% has been their main guy in net all year again and he has been steady all season long. He took Luverne to State last year and will look to do the same thing again.
Roll Cards Roll Repeat- Luverne earned the right to attempt to do something that has not been done in a long time in this section, and that is repeat as 3A Champion. The last time this section has seen a team go back-to-back was way back in 2012 when New Ulm was finishing off a 3-peat. It's been a decade plus since anyone has been able to win 3A in consecutive years. It won't be easy, but the Cards are in position to do just that.
Roll Cards Roll Special Teams- The Power Play is at 38.1% and Penalty Kill is at 76.8%
Mankato West enters the 3A Final playing their best hockey of the year. They were able to survive a scare from their cross-town rivals in the Section Semifinal, but overall, the Scarlets are still a relatively young team that really found their game post-Christmas time, and they now enter the Section Final. They will look to add to that good 2nd half season push by getting revenge vs Luverne, who they lost to in overtime in the 3A Final last year, and a win would get them back to the State for the 1st time since 2016.
Scarlets Leaders- Jrs. #27 Jakobe Tosch (20-33-53 pts), #7 Keaton Dorzek (18-26-44 pts) & #17 Brodie Cox (14-17-31 pts) have been their steady and productive top line all season long. Jr. #12 Grady Schmidt (14-27-42 pts) & 9th grader #8 Brooks Baukol (9-27-36 pts) have been very good and also productive on the back end as they give the Scarlets good production from the blueline.
Scarlets Goalie- Soph #29 Blake Brekke (9-5-1) 2.17 GAA .925 SV% split the net most of the season but he has been their main guy in net of late and he has played very well the playoffs having earned the starting role.
Scarlets Second Half Surge- As noted, Mankato West is coming into this game playing their best hockey. The Scarlets have been one of the top teams in Class A post Christmas time. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the Scarlets are now (15-3-0) since December 29th. This current group has many of these players who were in the lineup for last year’s heartbreaker and are ready for their redemption.
Scarlets Special Teams- The Power Play is at 25.7% and Penalty Kill is at 83%