Anna Klein leads Edina with 20 assists and could be key in setting up her teammates when the Hornets visit Lake Conference rival Eden Prairie on Saturday. Photo by Korey McDermott, SportsEngine
A 3-3 tie with Breck, ranked No. 2 in the latest Class 1A state coaches' poll, is the closest Edina has come to having its spotless record tarnished. The Hornets (17-0-1, 4-0) have been buzzing since the draw on Dec. 28, winning five straight games and maintaining a hold on the top spot in the Lake Conference standings.
Senior forward Anna Klein (8-20-28) has been a big reason for the success, with the Minnesota-Duluth commit tallying seven points during the run. Junior forward Lolita Fidler (13-18-31) has also been key. She has led No. 1-2A Edina in scoring for much of the season, and the Harvard commit has been relied on more than usual in the absence of Minnesota commit Emily Oden (14-9-23).
Oden took some time away from the high school season to skate for Team USA at the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women's World Championships.
The junior forward, along with eight other Minnesota high school players, helped the USA repeat as gold medalists with a 3-1 win over Canada in the final on Jan. 14.
Eden Prairie hasn't had nearly the same success lately, going winless from Jan. 3-10. The No. 5-2A Eagles ended the three-game skid with a 2-1 victory over Wayzata on Jan. 14, but they will need all hands on deck to defeat the Hornets, including a big performance form senior forward Naomi Rogge (24-18-42). The Minnesota-Duluth commit is the primary threat on offense for Eden Prairie (13-5-1, 2-1-1), which sits in second place in the league standings.
A victory over Edina would not only get Eden Prairie back to its winning ways, but also pull the Eagles closer to the Hornets as they head down the home stretch in the race for the Lake title. Their Saturday showdown is our pick for the Top Game of the Week.
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