Kippin Keller’s move to Minnetonka helped the Skippers take home the Lake Conference title.

The junior forward is in her first season with Minnetonka after transferring from Benilde-St. Margaret’s, where she was a member of a Red Knights team that finished as the 2014 Class 2A state runner-up.

The state tournament experience gave the Gopher commit an understanding of what it takes to play in big games, and there was no bigger game for Minnetonka this season than the rematch with rival Eden Prairie for the conference title.

Keller came through in the clutch, scoring the game-winning goal midway through the third period as the Skippers rallied from a one-goal deficit to defeat the Eagles 3-1 and clinch the conference crown Tuesday night at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka.

“I feel great,” Keller said after the win. “We’ve been working for this all season.”

The Skippers (19-5-0, 6-2-0) had their work cut out for them. Eden Prairie (19-2-3, 5-2-1), the top-ranked team in the Class 2A coaches poll, had beaten No. 2-2A Minnetonka in their two previous meetings, but needed overtime in both to record the victories.

Keller and her teammates made sure the Eagles would not win a third game in extra time.

Charly Dahlquist scored less than 3 minutes in the second period, giving Eden Prairie a 1-0 lead.

Junior forward Presley Norby netted the equalizer 11 minutes later, and Minnetonka took the lead for good 6 minutes into the third period as Keller caught a pass in the Eden Prairie slot, turned slightly and slipped a backhand shot past Eagles’ goaltender Alexa Dobchuk. 

Senior defender Kelsey Crow added the insurance goal 4 minutes later, and when the final horn sounded, the Skippers had accomplished one of their objectives for the season - winning the Lake Conference title.

“Our coach has kind of called it ‘Playing for the Crown Jewels,'” Keller said with a laugh.

That crown is also a badge of honor considering the Lake Conference may be the toughest league in that state with four of its five teams ranked in Class 2A. (Wayzata is No. 5 and Edina is No. 6.)

Minnetonka junior goalie Taty Delaittre said Keller’s preparation enabled her to score the clutch goal. 

“Kippen’s a leader,” Delaittre said. “She’s been working hard in practice, and it really pays off in a game.”

Keller’s hard work has paid off. She has seven goals and 19 assists, and her 26 points are tied for fourth-best on the team.

Last year as a Red Knight, Keller finished with 10 goals and 14 points, and her performance helped her earn an invite to USA Hockey’s 2014 Girls Select U18 Player Development Camp in July, where she finished with one assist in three games as a member of Team Purple.

Kellar also participated in the Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League and scored one goal playing in 13 games with Team White this fall.

Hockey, however, isn’t the only sport at which she excels. Keller is one of the state’s top soccer players, and she spent several seasons playing on teams from the Minnesota Thunder Academy, a US Soccer development academy. In the 2012-13 season, Keller had one goal in four games.

Keller had eight goals in five games as a member of the Minnetonka girls’ soccer team this fall.

Keller's outstanding performance against the Eagles was matched by Delaittre, who stood tall throughout the game and finished with 23 saves.

Delaittre, who spent last season as a member of the Minnetonka junior varsity team, has the most victories of any goalie in Minnesota with 19, and her sparkling 1.25 goals against average is fifth-best in the state. She also has eight shutouts and a .932 save percentage.

“It feels really good to be brought up from the JV and getting a lot of playing time this year,” Delaittre said. 

Minnetonka coach Eric Johnson said Delaittre was responsible for giving the Skippers a chance to get back in the game after Eden Prairie took a 1-0 lead in the second period. Delaittre made 13 saves in the second period and five in the third.

“Taty played awesome,” Johnson said. “She kept us in the game and gave us a chance to to get ahead.”

Junior forward Kippin Keller scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period, helping Minnetonka wrap up the Lake Conference title with a 3-1 victory over Eden Prairie at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka on Tuesday. 

Junior forward Presley Norby finished with a goal and two assists and senior defender Kelsey Crow had a goal and an assist for the Skippers (19-5-0, 6-2-0), ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A coaches poll.

Keller gave Minnetonka a 2-1 lead 6 minutes into the third period, scoring off a slick passing play as she collected the puck in the slot and slipped a backhand shot past Eden Prairie freshman goaltender Alexa Dobchuk. 

Crow added the insurance goal 4 minutes later.

Junior goaltender Taty Delaittre made 23 saves in the victory. 

Dobchuk finished with 29 saves and senior forward Charly Dahlquist scored the lone goal for the No. 1-2A Eagles (19-2-3, 5-2-1).

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