The Minnetonka and Edina squads will have to wait at least a few more weeks to duke out which is the better of the state's No. 1 and No. 2 teams.

After getting in many ways what they each expected – a fast-paced game with lots of scoring chances – each came away less than satisfied, settling for a 2-2 overtime tie at Braemar Arena.

"It's always more fun when someone wins," Edina coach Laura Slominski said after the game, shrugging. "But I was happy with how my kids battled to the end."

The Hornets started off the battle in the first period, taking the lead with a goal from Sarah Nielsen about 12 minutes into the game, as both teams started out a little erratic.

From there, both teams settled down quite a bit, and went scoreless until Minnetonka's Paige Baldwin tucked in a neat goal off a pass from Rachel Ramsey to tie the score 1-1 with two minutes left in the second period, the finale of a barrage of shots the Skippers launched at Edina goalie Maddie Dahl throughout the better part of the period.

"We hammered [Dahl] pretty hard in the stomach and in the hand," Ramsey said. "When we got in the locker room after the second, Coach was like 'Hit them on the ice!'"

But the battle was long from being over. Halfway through the third, the Hornets' Liz Trautz tucked in a nice pass from Kelly McGarvey, but Slominski wasn't resting easy.

"Against them, there's always too much time on the clock," she said.

A few minutes later, Ramsey proved that true, slapping in a clean shot seconds after a near miss from Paige Baldwin.

"What I liked about our team is that we showed a lot of resolve," Skippers coach Eric Johnson said. "This is a good 'to be continued ...'"

Do the math, and you see why Tuesday night’s girls’ hockey match-up between Minnetonka and Edina is one not to miss.

Two teams, 29 victories, three losses, one sheet of ice. Ho-hum, right?

“Yep, just another game,” Skippers coach Eric Johnson said.

There was a pause, and then a laugh.

“It’s a great rivalry and it’s been that way for a long time,” he said. “The girls have all grown up playing against each other, it’s always a fun atmosphere at Braemar Arena and our girls always look forward to playing Edina.”

The teams enter Tuesday’s game as the top two in Class 2A. The No. 1-ranked Skippers have been nearly flawless this season, losing only to Shattuck-St. Mary’s U-19 juggernaut team 6-1 on Dec. 8. The second-ranked Hornets, meanwhile, have won their past eight games. They have given up just eight goals in that stretch.

Minnetonka, on the other hand, comes into the game averaging more than four goals per game. The Skippers have put in 13 goals in three games this month.

“Both teams take a lot of pride in their schools and their athletics as well,” Johnson said. “The girls want to prove that their program is the best.”

Though Minnetonka has felt the brunt of Shattuck-St. Mary’s – a private boarding school in Faribault – and played defending Class 1A championship game attendees Warroad and Blake, Tuesday’s game figures to be the toughest test yet.

On top of the cross-town rivalry, it’s one of only eight Lake Conference games and the last against the Hornets at Braemar Arena for Minnetonka’s seniors. They want this one. Badly.

“The senior leadership by far has been most impressive,” Johnson said. “The stats speak for themselves, but they all are focused and it shows. Whether it’s a big save, a blocked shot, a goal. It seems we’re always getting the big play from one of our seniors and the rest of the team follows suit. We have a great group.”

But leadership can only take a team so far, and Johnson knows it.
“Our team’s ready,” he said unequivocally. “Focused and determined after a good day of practice. They want to go out and get this one.”

So does Edina.

"How can any team not be excited to play the No. 1 team?" Hornets head coach Laura Slominski said. "Just to see where you're at, and what you need to do to get to that level. There's been a lot of excitement in and around our team the last few days. A buzz. We're ready to go."

– Brian Stensaas