Minnesota Class 2A girls hockey state tournament: Andover outlasts Edina in semifinal

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The No. 2-seed Andover Huskies defeated the No. 3-seeded Edina Hornets 2-1 in the Class 2A state tournament semifinals at the Xcel Energy Center. 

Two of the best goaltender in the state of Minnesota met tonight with a spot in the state championship on the line. Both goalies came into this contest averaging just over one goal allowed per game, and neither had allowed a goal in this tournament so far.

Early in the first period, each team exchanged chances on the power play, but as expected, it was tough for both offenses as neither team was able convert. Andover had the majority of the chances late in the period, but Ms. Hockey finalist Uma Corniea stood tall in net and kept the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.

“There were a lot of nerves in that first period on the bench,” Andover head coach Kate Dolan said. “We just had to settle down and play our style of hockey."

Any nerves the Huskies had were gone by the second period as they immediately got on the attack and peppered Corniea. By the midway point of the second, Andover had outshot Edina 17-6.

The Hornets were able to tighten the game back up as they began getting possession in the offensive zone and started to force Andover goaltender Courtney Stagman to make some tough saves.

Later on in the second period, Edina was awarded a power play. The Hornets were able to convert as sophomore Tori Anderson threw a puck on net from the point, which took a deflection in front of the net, and Hornet forward Ellie Chapman would wind up with the puck on her stick as she slotted away the game's first goal. 

Edina would take a 1-0 lead into the second intermission.

Feeling a sense of urgency, Andover was able to gain back some momentum as it started to dominate the time of possession early in the third period. 

The Huskies got an opportunity on the power play with twelve minutes to go looking to tie the game, and they did just that. Mackenzie Jones tossed a wrist shot from the point which took a deflection off Husky forward Ella Thoreson’s stick and wound up in the back off the net as the Huskies tied the game at one.

“We do those tip drills every day in practice," Thoreson said. “I almost blacked out when I scored, it was crazy.”

The Huskies smelled blood in the water, and immediately after scoring, they began aggressively penetrating the Edina zone. With just under four minutes to go, the Huskies' aggression paid off as Maya Engler found some open ice in the Hornet zone and ripped a shot that found the top left corner of the net to give the Huskies their first lead of the night.

“We caught the defense off guard, and my line mate won the board battle, and I got the puck and scored," Engler said.

With two minutes, 50 seconds to go in the game, Edina went on the power play needing a goal to force overtime. 

“That's the story of Andover hockey,” Stagman said. “We always get penalties in the last minute, but I like those intense moments.”

Stagman and the Huskies were able to survive a late Hornet attack to punch its ticket to the state championship.

Andover will play the winner of Minnetonka and Gentry Academy on February 25 at 7 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center.