Roseville standout defenseman Lee Stecklein missed a preseason scrimmage against Edina but heard the game was competitive and ended in an unofficial tie.

Tuesday's showdown against those same Hornets showed Stecklein not much has changed. No. 1 Roseville and No. 5 Edina played with strong pace and purpose and a late goal from Stecklein salvaged a 2-2 tie for the Raiders.

Trailing 1-0 after one period and 2-1 late in the third period, Roseville (6-0-1) pulled goaltender Erika Allen for an extra attacker. Stecklein, one of the nine Division I-bound players from both teams who logged significant ice time Tuesday, buried her chance at 15:55 of the period.

"It was definitely a challenge for us to adjust to the pace," Stecklein said. "But we adjusted well and hopefully we can use this as a stepping stone to keep building our game."

The teams don't share a conference or section or even sides of the metro area, but given their elite status among girls' hockey programs, are rivals just the same.

Roseville won the 2010 Class 2A state title with a handful of the seniors on this year's team. The Raiders beat Edina in the first of two consecutive runner-up finishes for the Hornets.

Roseville coach Vic Brodt knew his team, despite a 6-0 record and five shutouts coming into Tuesday's game, would learn a great deal about itself playing at Edina (6-2-3).

Games against Class 1A powers Warroad, Breck and Blake and Class 2A state tournament teams Lakeville South and Hill-Murray gave Edina a blemished record but an edge in tempo and grit.

"It was important for our team to finally kind of compete," Brodt said. "I tell you what, that was a pretty darn good effort by Edina so I was proud of the way we handled it."

Edina coach Laura Slominski said supreme effort was missing in the Hornets' loss against Hill-Murray last Saturday. Her team heeded the call Tuesday.

"We were happy with the way we played but it's very disappointing to lose a lead that late," Slominski said.

"That's the perfect thing about playing such a tough schedule -- you get to learn those things along the way to make yourself a stronger team."