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Maple Grove edges Andover for its fourth shutout of season

By Heather Rule, SportsEngine, 12/06/16, 7:00AM CST

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The Crimson defeated the Huskies 3-0 to solidify their No. 3-2A ranking.

puck face

Andover goalie Cassidy Stumo (left) came out on top in this run-in with Maple Grove's Taylor Wente (28), but Wente scored a goal and helped the Crimson to a 3-0 victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine


steal

Taylor Wente (28) came up with a steal in front of Andover's Grace Halvorson that led to a breakaway goal to start the scoring in the Crimson's 3-0 victory at Andover. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine



By the end of the night, one team was going to lose its second game while the other won its sixth.

It was Maple Grove, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A by Let’s Play Hockey, that came away with its sixth victory. The Crimson (6-2) beat Andover (5-2) by a 3-0 margin Tuesday at the Andover Community Center.

Fresh off a 7-1 victory over Champlin Park on Dec. 3, the Crimson dispatched another Northwest Suburban Conference rival. Maple Grove senior Taylor Wente got one of the first scoring chances of the game about five minutes in. She had a mini-breakaway but was denied on her backhand.

With 5:36 left in the first period, Wente cashed in for a 1-0 lead on a play similar to the one she had been denied on earlier. She used her speed to get in alone and flipped the backhand shot past the goaltender for her eighth goal of the season. This time, she elevated the puck.

It’s not really a go-to move Wente said, who was the team’s leading scorer last season and is committed to the University of Minnesota, but she said she tried to do the same move again.

“My teammates were working really hard to give me the puck, and I got an opportunity to get the same exact opportunity that I had before, so I wanted to capitalize on the second move for sure,” Wente said.

The Crimson lead came after each team had their chances on a power play apiece. Wente’s goal gave the Crimson all the momentum they needed, as they buzzed around the offensive zone for the next few minutes. All the pressure led to a 2-0 lead before the first intermission after sophomore Mannon McMahon chipped in with the first of her two goals on the night.

In the second, the Crimson continued to roll with their solid passing and puck possession. They outshot the Huskies 12-4 in that second frame, as Andover managed just a couple of rushes.

“Andover was very disciplined,” said Crimson coach Amber Hegland. “It made our girls have to control the puck.”

In the third period, McMahon scored her second goal of the night, an empty-netter near the end of the game.

“Everyone was just really working hard in the offensive zone,” McMahon said. “Everyone was moving, nobody was standing still. Everyone would kind of get into a spot where they were open.”

The Crimson got stronger defensively as the game went on, too, holding the Huskies to just four shots on goal in the second period and three in the third. Maple Grove trailed in the shots category 12-10 after the first.

“Amber came into the locker room and said we need to work on defensive zone—make sure we master that,” Wente said. “I think throughout the game, we definitely got better. They didn’t really have any opportunities.”

The Crimson are trying to follow up their Class 2A runner-up finish last season, losing 3-2 in overtime to Eden Prairie. Their only loss so far was the season-opener, 6-3 to No. 2-2A Edina, before rattling off three straight shutouts over Anoka, No. 8-2A Elk River/Zimmerman and No. 1-2A Eden Prairie.

Maple Grove senior goaltender Breanna Blesi made 19 saves. Andover sophomore Cassidy Stumo made 26 saves. It was Blesi’s second shutout in the net this season and fourth for the Crimson. She’s part of the two-goalie tandem with fellow senior Coco Francis.

Ever since the state tournament last year, the team has really seen the importance of good defense, Blesi said.

“I think this year, it’s been incredible how much we’ve improved,” Blesi said. “When everyone is working hard in the D zone, it makes it so easy for me.”

First Report

By the end of the night, one team was going to lose its second game while the other would win its sixth. It was Maple Grove, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A by Let’s Play Hockey, that came away with its sixth victory. The Crimson (6-2) beat Andover (5-2) by a 3-0 margin Tuesday at the Andover Community Center.

Fresh off a 7-1 victory over Champlin Park on Dec. 3, the Crimson dispatched another Northwest Suburban Conference rival. Maple Grove senior Taylor Wente got one of the first scoring chances of the game about five minutes in. She had a mini-breakaway but was denied on her backhand.

With 5:36 left in the first period, she cashed in for a 1-0 lead on a similar play. She used her speed to get in alone and flipped the backhand shot past the goaltender for her eighth goal of the season. Sophomore Mannon McMahon put the Crimson up 2-0 near the end of the period and added an empty net goal late in the third period. That was all the scoring they needed.

The Crimson are trying to follow up their Class 2A runner-up finish last season, losing 3-2 in overtime to Eden Prairie. Their only loss so far was the season-opener, 6-3 to Edina, before rattling off three straight shutouts over Anoka, Elk River/Zimmerman and Eden Prairie.

Maple Grove senior goaltender Breanna Blesi made 19 saves. Andover sophomore Cassidy Stumo made 26 saves. It was Blesi’s second shutout in the net this season and fourth for the Crimson.

Coco

Maple Grove goaltender Breanna Blesi earned the shutout at Andover. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

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