Ella Yahna scored the overtime goal for Grand Forks Knightriders against Fargo Davies on Friday, February 27, 2026, securing their advancement to the North Dakota girls’ hockey title game.
The game, played at Scheel’s Arena in Fargo, ended after Yahna capitalized on a rebound following two prior saves. “I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I screwed up,’” Yahna said, reflecting on her initial shot. “But we talk about first and second chances. That was for sure a second chance that needed to happen in order win that game.”
Yahna’s game-winning goal marked the first time since 2017 that the GFC/GFRR Knightriders have reached the championship game, according to postings on social media.
During the 2025-26 regular season, Yahna, a skater for the Knightriders, appeared in 26 games, recording 12 goals and 12 assists for a total of 24 points. She also had 3 power-play goals, 1 shorthanded goal, 3 penalty minutes, and was credited with one game-winning goal, according to team statistics from highschoolhockeynd.com.
Other key players for the Knightriders this season include Alaina Marto with 28 points, Chesney Sigdahl with 25 points, and Dustee Balek with 19 points. Kylie Schmaltz served as the primary goalie, maintaining a 1.79 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 26 games.
Earlier in a separate game, Ella Yahna also scored the first goal for Grand Forks, though they trailed West Fargo 1-2 at that point, as reported on Facebook.
