Edina defeats Hill-Murray in Class 2A MSHSL girls hockey championship game
ST. PAUL — The No. 4-seed Edina Hornets (24-6-1) defeated the No. 2-seed Hill-Murray Pioneers (26-4-1) 2-0 in the Class 2A Minnesota high school girls hockey state tournament championship on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.
Edina's championship run started with a loss. On December 5, the Hornets lost to Benilde-St. Margaret's 5-2 six days after a 2-1 loss to Hill-Murray. The Hornets needed a team meeting.
"I think we were at [Braemar Ice Arena] until about 11 p.m. that night," Edina head coach Sami Cowger said.
Cowger decided to promote three players from junior varsity to varsity. Brenna Prellwitz, Charlotte Theirl and Afton Maiser all joined varsity.
"I genuinely think that they brought the team chemistry together," senior Nora McConnell said. "I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say they were true locker room people. ... And I think that they deserved to be there."
Prellwitz, in particular, was more than just a locker room glue-girl. She scored the game-winner against Minnetonka in semifinals.
"She's got a really cool story to tell here for years to come," Cowger said.
The chemistry change and lineup shifts culminated on Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center.
Neither defense budged in the first two periods. It took a power play in the third period for the first goal to be scored.
Edina's Kayla Starr found Lorelei Nelson in the middle of the Hill-Murray defensive square. Nelson quickly backhanded a pass to Whitney Horton, who was creeping into the slot. Norton scored on a shot to the top left corner.
The Hornets power play ended with two perfect passes, not bad for a power play unit that hadn't had an opportunity in five-and-a-half periods.
"I knew that these girls were chomping at the bit to get back out there," Cowger said. "We've practiced it hundreds of times. They knew exactly what to do. That play has been drawn up and executed multiple times before."
Nelson wasn't done with highlights. Three minutes later, Nelson deked and weaved through multiple Hill-Murray defenders to the middle of the offensive zone. Again, the puck found the top left corner for Edina.
"It's not surprising," Cowger said. "[Nelson] is an extremely talented hockey player. She has all the skills in the world to pull of those goals left and right, and it came at the most perfect time."
Hill-Murray pushed for two shots in the final minutes, but it wasn't enough for the Pioneers.
"I think we just kind of ran out of gas," Hill-Murray coach John Pohl said. "... We're the type of team that, if we get the first goal, the game comes better to us because the other team has to push and press, and that opens more stuff up for our skilled kids. And we just couldn't get that first one tonight."
Hill-Murray senior goaltender Grace Zhan finished with 21 saves. She finished with 78 saves in the three state tournament games.
"To me, she's the star of the tournament," Pohl said.
It's the fifth state title in Edina girls hockey school history. One that came with a win over Benilde-St. Maragert's in the section final, and this win over Hill-Murray in the state title game.
"There were a lot of learning moments along the way," Edina head coach Sami Cowger said. "They showed up. They bought in at the right time."
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- Jack Butler | butler@scorebooklive.com | @Butler917
