A three-goal second period, including two by junior Taylor Wente who had a hat trick, lifted the Crimson (19-5-2) to a 4-1 victory over Centennial on Friday and their first berth in the girls’ hockey state tournament in program history.

“These girls, from the beginning, had the dream of getting [to state] and doing it together,” Maple Grove coach Amber Hegland said. “It’s been amazing, the things that they have done collectively to get to this point, and they should be so proud of themselves.”

Centennial (15-8-2) took a 1-0 lead in the first period of the game at Roseville Ice Arena on a goal by freshman Maija Almich.

In the second period, Wente scored two goals in less than 90 seconds. Her first goal came at 3:36 during a Crimson power play. Then with Maple Grove killing a penalty, she scored again at the 4:48 mark.

“The feeling is just unreal,” said Wente, who has committed to play with Minnesota. “I just felt like the whole game changed and we all just had a boost and kept pounding.”

The third Crimson goal of the period came on another power play when senior Lauren Kaufman found the net with under a minute left.

Centennial senior goalie Anne Juergens made 33 saves, but was overpowered by an unrelenting Crimson attack.

Wente scored into an empty net with under a minute to play to record a hat trick.

KAITLIN MERKEL

First report

Maple Grove scored three times in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory over Centennial on Friday at Roseville Ice Arena. The Crimson advanced to its first state tournament in program history.

Maple Grove junior Taylor Wente scored twice in just over a minute early in the second to erase a 1-0 deficit, Senior Lauren Kaufman added another goal late in the period to extend the lead.

Wente completed the hat trick, scoring an empty-net goal with 45 seconds to play.

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