Andover Tops in Class AA

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

The top-rated team in Class 2A all season, the Huskies weren’t accustomed to allowing more than two goals or trailing after two periods.

Pushed by Minnetonka, Andover shoved back. A pair of third-period goals secured a 5-4 victory, a state title and a 30-0 record.

A year ago, Andover entered the state championship game undefeated but fell to Edina. Returning players vowed to create a different outcome Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center.

Senior forward Sara Kaiser scored with 1:40 to play to break a game knotted 4-4 since a little more than three minutes into the third period. That’s when Andover’s Madison Brown buried her second goal of the game, this one on the power play.

No. 3 seed Minnetonka (24-7) had built a 4-3 lead in a similar manner. Ava Lindsay scored her second power-play goal of the game to put the Skippers ahead for what turned out to be the last time.

Ella Boerger swung first. First shift. First shot. Her 30th goal of the season put Andover ahead just 15 seconds into the game.

Boerger’s linemates co-authored the second Huskies goal. Brown took a pass from Isa Goettl before sending the puck back for Goettl to fire home at 13:18 of the opening period.

Dazed but undeterred, Minnetonka cut its deficit with a Lindsay power-play goal. She blasted a puck at goalie Courtney Stagman, and for the second consecutive night, Stagman made the initial save, only to have the puck bounce over her head, off her back and into the net.

Second-period goals from the Skippers’ Grace Sadura and Kendra Distad ensured the energy stayed with Minnetonka into the second period.

Trailing 3-2, Andover received a lift from Boerger’s dogged stick work. She took three whacks at a loose puck in the Minnetonka crease, finally lifting it over goalie Sophia Johnson for the tying goal.

Though Andover would once again lose its lead, Brown and Kaiser assured all was not lost.