Grand Forks blanks Mandan in ND girls hockey state quarterfinals

Schmaltz records 15 saves in 3-0 win to advance to semifinals

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The second-seeded Grand Forks KnightRiders defeated the seventh-seeded Mandan Braves 3-0 in the North Dakota high school girls hockey state tournament quarterfinals on Thursday. Grand Forks goalie Kylie Schmaltz recorded 15 saves, including a key stop on a Mandan breakaway in the second period, to earn the shutout victory. Ella Yahna scored two goals for Grand Forks, while Alaina Marto opened the scoring in the first period.

Why it matters

The win advances Grand Forks to the state semifinals, where they will face the winner of No. 3 Legacy-Bismarck and No. 6 Fargo Davies. Mandan will play the loser of that semifinal matchup in the consolation semifinals. The game highlighted the strong defensive play of Grand Forks and the resilience of their senior goaltender Schmaltz.

The details

Grand Forks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period when Alaina Marto scored on a backdoor rebound. In the second period, Schmaltz made a key save on a Mandan breakaway to preserve the lead. Ella Yahna then scored late in the second period to make it 2-0 Grand Forks. Yahna added another goal in the third period to seal the 3-0 victory.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 26, 2026 during the North Dakota high school state tournament quarterfinals.
  • The semifinal matchup between Grand Forks and the winner of Legacy-Bismarck and Fargo Davies will be played on Friday, February 27, 2026 at noon.

The players

Kylie Schmaltz

The senior goaltender for the Grand Forks KnightRiders, who recorded 15 saves and her third shutout of the season in the quarterfinal victory.

Ella Yahna

The Grand Forks forward who scored two goals, including the game-winning tally late in the second period, to lead the KnightRiders to the semifinal round.

Alaina Marto

The Grand Forks forward who opened the scoring with a first period goal to give the KnightRiders an early lead.

Kelly Kilgore

The head coach of the Grand Forks KnightRiders, who praised his team's well-rounded performance in the quarterfinal win.

Taylor Goldmann

The goaltender for the Mandan Braves, who made several key saves to keep her team in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I just stay locked in.”

— Kylie Schmaltz, Grand Forks goaltender (inforum.com)

“She knew how to work the puck. She knew how to find space. Her and (forward Alaina Marto) were great together.”

— Kylie Schmaltz, Grand Forks goaltender (inforum.com)

“We did a lot of things really well today and showed on the scoreboard.”

— Kelly Kilgore, Grand Forks head coach (inforum.com)

“What I'm looking for is the same effort.”

— Kelly Kilgore, Grand Forks head coach (inforum.com)

“Keep up the momentum. The energy was on fire today.”

— Kylie Schmaltz, Grand Forks goaltender (inforum.com)

What’s next

The Grand Forks KnightRiders will face the winner of the No. 3 Legacy-Bismarck and No. 6 Fargo Davies semifinal matchup on Friday, February 27, 2026 at noon. The Mandan Braves will play the loser of that semifinal in the consolation semifinals at 5 p.m. on Friday.

The takeaway

Grand Forks' strong defensive effort, led by goaltender Kylie Schmaltz, and balanced scoring attack proved too much for Mandan in the quarterfinal matchup. The KnightRiders will look to continue their momentum in the semifinal round as they aim to advance to the state championship game.