Moorhead senior forward Mason Kraft and his teammates got all they could handle from Lakeville South on Thursday night.

But the top-seeded Spuds eventually shook the eighth-seeded Cougars, as four goals from Kraft helped spark a 7-4 come-from-behind victory for Moorhead in the Class 2A state quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Center.

The Spuds, who improved to 26-2-1, advance to play in Friday’s second semifinal, scheduled for 8 p.m. This, despite the fact they surrendered more than three goals in a game for just the third time all season.

Lakeville South — which itself rebounded from a 5-8 start to win 13 of its final 14 games entering the day — struck first against Moorhead when senior forward Will Kortan scored with 15:23 to play in the first period. Then, after a goal by Kraft — a Mr. Hockey finalist — tied the score, Kortan struck again to put his team up 2-1.

All three goals came within three minutes of one another.

The Cougars extended their lead to 3-1 on a goal by senior forward Jackson Ernst. But just over 30 seconds later, Spuds sophomore forward Zac Zimmerman cut the gap to 3-2.

Still, Lakeville South — which outshot Moorhead 13-7 in the first — went into the first intermission with a one-goal lead.

And the Cougars wasted no time extending that gap as junior forward Carter Ernst scored just 12 seconds into the second to put his team on top 4-2.

But the Spuds — who allowed just three goals total in three victories in the Section 8 tournament — came roaring back, scoring a pair of goals down the stretch in the second.

Kraft scored his second goal of the game with 6:46 to play, then junior forward Tyden Bergeson followed with 5:40 remaining on the clock. And the two teams were knotted 4-all.

Replay then factored heavily in the third.

Moorhead jumped on top for the first time when a review allowed a goal by senior forward Brooks Cullen with 12:32 to play, giving the Spuds a 5-4 lead. Less than a minute later, replay overruled a goal by Lakeville South senior forward Brayden Olsen, ruling a teammate ran into Spuds goalie Charlie Stenehjem, impeding his ability to make the stop.

Kraft then put the finishing touches on the rally when he scored his third goal of the night with 4:40 remaining and added a fourth on an empty netter with just over 21 seconds to go as Moorhead scored the game’s final five goals.

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