Edina forward Katie Davis (9) scored on Wayzata goaltender Micah Bergeron in the second period. Photo: ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com
A year ago on Feb. 14, goaltender Uma Corniea and Breck eased to a lopsided section final victory.
Not so this year. Corniea, who transferred to Edina, found herself under siege in the final moments of the Hornets’ 3-2 victory over determined Wayzata in the Class 2A, Section 6 championship game Friday at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis.
“Class 2A is so much faster-paced,” said Corniea, a ninth-grader with skill and poise beyond her years. “Last year at Breck we won big and this year it almost went to overtime. It was definitely a lot more intense.”
Top-ranked Edina escaped with a victory and preserved two streaks in the process. The Hornets, headed to the state tournament for a sixth consecutive season, seek their fourth state championship in a row.
Edina (26-1) controlled the first period and led 1-0 on Emma Conner’s goal.
No. 11 Wayzata (17-10-1) held an edge in play through the second period’s first seven minutes. The Trojans skated with purpose, moved the puck and got bodies in front of Corniea.
Photo gallery: Wayzata vs. Edina
But Katie Davis, Edina’s tenacious senior forward, tapped home a loose puck for a 2-0 lead for the Hornets at 9:07 of the second period.
Though they defeated Wayzata by 4-1 scores in two previous Lake Conference meetings this season, Edina players braced for a tough third period. Two nights earlier, the Trojans knocked off
second-seeded Blake in a 4-2 upset.
“Section hockey is always different,” junior forward Hannah Chorske said. “You can’t base anything off previous games. And Wayzata is a team that doesn’t give up.”
Sure enough, Sloane Matthews’ power-play goal at 7:15 of the third cut the Trojans’ deficit to 2-1.
Edina answered, however, as Chorske took a pass from Conner and tucked the puck into the Trojans’ net with less than five minutes to play.
Wayzata wasn’t finished. With their goalie pulled, the Trojans again made it a one-goal game when Sophie Urban scored with 1:24 left. Only once all season had Edina given up two goals in a game.
“We’re human and things are going to happen,” Hornets coach Sami Reber said. “We expect every team’s best game, and hats off to Wayzata, they gave it 110 percent. But I’m glad we faced some adversity and found a way out of it.”
First report
The Edina Hornets girls’ hockey team made a beeline to its sixth consecutive Class 2A state tournament courtesy of a 3-2 victory against Wayzata in the Class 2A, Section 6 game.
Top-ranked Edina (26-1), the three-time defending state champions, emerged victorious from the game Friday at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis. Goals from Emma Conner and Katie Davis provided a 2-0 lead after two periods.
Wayzata cut its deficit to 2-1 on a Sloane Matthews power-play goal at 7:15 of the third period. Edina answered as Hannah Chorske tucked the puck into the Trojans’ goal with less than five minutes on the clock.
Wayzata wasn’t finished. With their goalie pulled, the Trojans made the score 3-2 on Sophie Urban’s goal with 1:24 remaining.
The Hornets defeated No. 11 Wayzata (17-10-1) by 4-1 scores in two previous Lake Conference meetings this season.
Check back later for more on the game.
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