Photo by Ari Selvey/The Journal, New Ulm Marshall forward Talan Plante skates with the puck during the Section 3A boys hockey championship game against New Ulm at Gustavus Adolphus College’s Lund Arena in St. Peter on Wednesday night.

ST. PETER — The New Ulm boys hockey team will be returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2019, coming away with a 4-2 win over Marshall Wednesday in the Section 3A Championship match at Lund Arena at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Ian Brudelie had two goals for the Eagles, while Brody Nordby and Brody Wenner had one goal. Bryer Lang and Austin Uecker had two assists, with Kayden Klein, Kaden Larson, Brock Wellman and Talan Helget each getting an assist for New Ulm. Bryer Hoffmann had 19 saves.

Andrew Seanor had two goals for the Tigers, with Talan Plante adding an assist. Gavin Welsh had 15 saves.

Hoffmann had a particularly good night, with many clutch saves during the game. Hoffmann and many other Eagles were coming off of an illness that swept through the team this week, but were able to hold it together for the win.

“I felt good,” Hoffmann said. “In our last game I got ill after the second period. It was kind of a weird bug, but I felt great today. We came out and showed them that we felt great.”

Hoffman said Marshall was a strong defensive team, so the offensive success that the team saw was important to the win.

New Ulm’s first goal came on a rebound off of a Klein shot by Nordby, who slipped the puck past Welsh’s left foot for a goal at 10:01 of the first period. That was followed by a pass from Larson from behind the net to Wenner, who was skating down the left slot and hit the back of the net for New Ulm’s second goal at 16:20 of the first.

Marshall responded with a goal by Seanor, who skated into the offensive zone alone and came away with a score 59 seconds into the second period. The game got more physical in the second period, with roughing and cross-checking penalties being assessed to both teams. This advantaged New Ulm, however, as they converted on their first power play with a shot by Brudelie, assisted by Lang and Uecker, at 2:26 of the second. New Ulm killed both of the penalties they received for the game, while Marshall allowed one goal in five penalties.

Marshall made a push in the final period with another goal by Seanor, scoring at 8:3, assisted by Plante, again skating alone in the offensive zone for a breakaway goal. However, New Ulm responded once more with a goal by Brudelie, assisted by Wellmann and Helget, to give the Eagles a 4-2 lead at 9:49 of the third. Marshall pulled their goalie with 2:28 to play, but the New Ulm defense held off the Tiger attack as they came away with the victory.