Before a single puck ever was dropped this season, Minnetonka was anointed the state’s top team in Class 2A. This despite no state tournament experience left over from last season — or any for that matter.

The team finally has its state berth.

Behind Julie Friend’s 11th shutout of the season, the Skippers advanced to state for the first time after a 4-0 victory over Benilde-St. Margaret’s in the Section 6 final Friday at Parade Ice Garden.

Friend, a senior with a gaudy .955 saves percentage and a goals-against average of 0.70 during the regular season, bent at the knees and shook her head in disbelief after receiving her championship medal.

“Four years and we finally get here,” she said. “We did it. This is the best moment of my life, easily.”

Following a scoreless, evenly matched first period the Skippers opened the flood gates. Minnetonka got all the scoring it needed 2 minutes, 44 seconds into the second period.

After a backhanded pass from Kira von Steinbergs out of the left corner, Carolyn Draayer’s initial shot in front of BSM’s Tiana Press hit the near post. But the ricochet bounced right back to Draayer’s stick, and the open net was hers for a 1-0 lead.

Paige’s Baldwin’s wrist shot 1:14 later also hit the twine, and Hadley Cookson added a goal later in the second for a 3-0 cushion after 34 minutes.

“We got some breaks and bounces in the second period,” Minnetonka coach Eric Johnson said. “We got a little bit of momentum off of turnovers and then rode that.”

Leading scorers Rachel Ramsey (44 regular-season points) and Laura Bowman (42) were held off the scoresheet Friday, a sign that Minnetonka’s depth will be a force to reckon with next week at the Xcel Energy Center.

“To be able to go with three full lines really helps our wind and our legs as the game goes on,” Johnson said.