When your name is Warroad, your reputation is often as big as your talent. Hockey excellence is expected.

The Warriors were seeded No. 2 in the Class 1A state tournament, as much a result of their name and their record. They lived up to that seeding on Wednesday, scoring three second-period goals to defeat first-time entrant Northfield.

But Warroad coach Dave Marvin sought to temper expectations after the game at Xcel Energy Center.

“I’ve a got a young team, too,” he said. “Nobody asked me where we should be seeded. I’m confident in my team, but I’ve got a lot of kids who never played here before. They had some jitters.”

Those jitters, along with a spirited effort by Northfield, resulted in a scoreless first period. Warroad finally broke through midway through the second period when senior forward Demi Gardner rapped home a puck that had caromed off the end boards back in front of the net.

“If came off at an awkward angle and I saw my opportunity and I took it,” Gardner said.

Warroad settled down after that, scoring two more goals in the second period. Gardner scored her second of the game on a wrist shot that deflected off a Northfield player four minutes later. Sara Baumann scored on a screened shot at 11:44 of the period for the final goal of the game.

“Normally, our locker room is really loud. We’re not a serious group, but before our game today, no one was talking,” Gardner said. “After our first goal, every one started moving their legs more and you could feel the intensity go up.”

Warroad spent the first period getting warmed up, then showed why it earned the No. 2 seed in the Class 1A field, defeating first-time entrant Northfield 3-0 in the first game of the state tournament, 

Demi Gardner broke a 0-0 tie when she knocked in a puck that caromed off the endboards for a 1-0 lead at 6:26 of the second period. She scored again four minutes later when her wrist shot from the slot deflected off a Northfield skater and into the net for a 2-0 Warroad lead. 

Sara Baumann’s screened shot at 11:44 of the second period gave Warroad a 3-0 lead after two periods.

Warroad goalie Emma Brunelle made 12 saves to earn the shutout.

Northfield’s Mallory Tidona stopped 32 of 35 shots she faced.

Warroad improved to 24-3-1. Northfield finished the season 19-10.

Check back later for more on the game.