Class AA Girls Hockey State Semifinal: Edina 3, Minnetonka 2
Posted: Friday, February 23, 2024 - 10:58 PM
The #4 Edina Hornets (23-6-1) completed the dance card for the upcoming 2024 MSHSL Class AA championship game with a 3-2 victory over #1 seed Minnetonka (26-3-1) in the second semifinal game of the day at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Friday, Feb. 23.
Edina will now match up with #2 seed Hill-Murray (25-3-1) in the Class AA title contest, which is slated to be played at the Xcel Energy Center with a 7:00 p.m. start on Saturday, Feb. 24. Edina has previously won state titles in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, while Hill-Murray gained state crowns in 2014 and 2015.
After a scoreless first period in which both teams had seven shots on goal apiece, the Hornets gained a 1-0 lead at 4:44 of the second period on an even strength goal by Lorelai Nelson that included assists from Cate McCoy and Hannah Halverson.
Edina extended its lead to 2-0 at 8:19 of the second with a highlight reel play that started with Halverson splitting the Minnetonka defense and then connecting with an open McCoy, who lit the lamp for the Hornets’ second goal.
The Skippers stepped into the scoring spotlight at 8:45 of the second period on another quality play as Isabella Finnegan deked her Edina defender and went top shelf to score Minnetonka’s first goal of the contest with an assist from Sydney Boss Krohn.
Minnetonka went on to tie the contest at 1:02 of the third period as Kendra Distad found the back of the net on a backhanded flip that went top shelf for the score. Assists on the play were added by Finnegan and Lindzi Avar. This was Distad’s 20th goal of the year.
Edina wasted little time regaining the lead as the Hornets’ Brenna Prellwitz scored at 2:36 of the third to make it 3-2. A pass from Whitney Horton provided Prellwitz an opportunity to crash the net and score her second goal of the tournament. Camille Dubuc was credited with the second assist on the play.
The Hornets outshot the Skippers 36-23 in the game and they were 2-of-2 on the penalty kill, while Minnetonka had no penalties called on it during the game. Reese McConnell gained the victory between the pipes for Edina with 21 saves in the game, while Minnetonka goalie Layla Hemp had 33 saves in the game.