Lauren Klein’s aggressive play propelled Minnetonka past conference rival Wayzata.
Klein attacked the net early in the second period and beat Trojans goalie Sarah Stelter for what proved to be the game-winning goal as the Skippers defeated Wayzata 3-2 in a nonconference game Tuesday night in the Mid-Winter Meltdown Tournament at Eden Prairie Community Center.
Minnetonka coach Eric Johnson said Klein was a difference maker against the Trojans and her two-goal performance was a testament to the junior forward’s ability to get to the net.
“Lauren is a really smart hockey player, and she is playing a lot more aggressive now and is being rewarded for it,” Johnson said. “We needed to get more pucks to the net tonight, and she was one of the players who was doing that.”
Klein doubled her total goals scored to two this year in the win.
She started out the year well, but has raised her performance to another level as of late, Johnson said.
Junior Katie McMillan scored an early first-period power-play goal for the Skippers, but it was Klein’s play that powered Minnetonka’s offensive attack on a night the team finished with 18 shots on net.
“I think we kind of stole one tonight,” Johnson said. “I think Wayzata got us off our game. We didn’t get that many shots on goal, just like the last time we played them.”
The Trojans beat the Skippers 2-1 on Dec. 16, and the few goals Minnetonka scored in the rematch were enough to win despite being outplayed in the final period and a half, Johnson said.
Three goals was all junior goaltender Taty Delaittre needed as her 17 saves helped shut the door on Wayzata’s comeback.
“She is a great puck-stopper, and she has the ability to come up with those huge saves,” Johnson said. “She was the difference maker tonight.”
Johnson said he considers Delaittre underrated after the junior sat behind former Skippers and current Penn State goalie Hannah Ehresmann the past two seasons.
Delaittre showed why as she made a series of saves illustrating to her teammates that she belongs in net.
Minnetonka committed back-to-back 2-minute penalties with under a minute to play in the first period, giving Wayzata a 5-on-3 power play.
The Trojans fired a shot on net that was tipped, and as a result of the deflect, Delaittre was out of position. The puck bounced right to a Trojans forward in the slot, and she shot what looked like a sure goal but was stopped as Delaittre’s glove sprung up from the ice to save the game-tying goal.
Delaittre made back-to-back saves later in the second that were impressive enough to get several Minnetonka parents out of their seats.
Wayzata finally beat Delaittre early in the third period, bringing the Trojans to within one goal. The Skippers, however, hung on for the victory.
