Hepp’s Salt muscles past Performance Office Papers to Dangle Cup Final

Braemar Arena – August 12, 2025 — Top-seeded Hepp’s Salt showed their championship poise Tuesday night, outlasting No. 5 seed Performance Office Papers 3-2 in the Dangle League semifinals to punch their ticket to Thursday’s Dangle Cup Final against Trash Panda.

Performance Office Papers had earned their spot in the matchup just hours earlier with a gritty 2-1 win over Tradition Mortgage, and they carried that momentum into a fast-paced showdown with the league’s regular season champions. Hepp’s, fresh and ready, kept their trademark puck movement sharp, but the underdogs matched their pace stride for stride despite playing their second game of the evening.

Hepp’s opened the scoring midway through the first half on a Libby Moe (Edina) tally, but Performance Office Papers responded with a strong push in the second. Goals from Mia Sutch (Centennial/Spring Lake Park) and Addy Cowan (Holy Family) had the game tied at 2-2 entering the closing minutes.

The decisive moment came when Brooklyn Mauch (Marshall) forced a turnover deep in the offensive zone, powered her way to the net, and buried her league-leading seventh goal of the season with 5:28 remaining in the second half. It was a clutch finish from the Hepp’s captain, who has been the heartbeat of their attack all season.

In goal, Hepp’s Kaia Weiland (Centennial/Spring Lake Park) and Janie McGawn (Blake) combined for 25 saves, while the tandem of Gianna Marchese (Rosemount) and Kayla Swartout (Holy Family) turned aside 30 shots for Performance Office Papers in a valiant effort.

The victory sends Hepp’s Salt (now 8-1) into the Dangle Cup Final, where they’ll meet No. 3 seed Trash Panda, who earlier upset Empowers Performance. Thursday night’s finale will also feature a Next Wave game and an exhibition between the Dangle All-Stars and a Celly League team, making it one of the most anticipated nights of the season.