The time 5:26 must be lucky for the No. 2-ranked Minnetonka girls’ hockey team.

It was with 5:26 remaining in regulation in the Class 2A, Section 6 girls’ hockey final when junior forward Kippen Keller scored her second of the game to tie the score against No. 6-ranked Wayzata on Friday night at Parade Ice Garden. 

There was also 5:26 left in the first overtime when sophomore forward Emma Bigham put a rebound from junior Katie McMillan into the open net to bring the Skippers back to the state tournament.

Bigham still was processing her game-winning goal even after the last of the sticks and gloves had been picked up from the ice following the celebration.

“I just wanted to win so bad,” Bigham said. “I’m just so excited.”

While Bigham couldn’t recall what all led up to the puck ending up on her stick, Minnetonka coach Eric Johnson saw one of his centers win an offensive zone faceoff and wingers that went to the net. 

“Emma went to the net, and stopped in front,” Johnson said. “Sometimes as a forward it’s easy to skate by the net.” 

In the close game between Lake Conference rivals, Minnetonka (20-6-0) had to be the comeback kids against Wayzata (13-10-2).

Wayzata struck just 35 seconds into the game with a goal from sophomore forward Natalie Heising, who drove right to the net and faked the goaltender to the ice.

Both teams missed their share of chances throughout the game. Wayzata held the lead for most of the first period, until Keller scored her first of the night with just more than a minute in the period. Ms. Hockey Finalist, Wayzata’s Sophia Shaver, put Wayzata ahead again in the second period before Minnetonka came back in the third to tie it.

“They certainly had us on the ropes,” Johnson said. “Our girls just found a way.

The time stamp 5:26 must be some kind of lucky number for the Minnetonka girls’ hockey team.

There was 5:26 left in regulation in the Class 2A, Section 6 girls’ hockey final Friday night at Parade Ice Gardens when Kippen Keller scored her second of the game to tie the game 2-2 against Wayzata. 

There was also 5:26 left in the first overtime when sophomore forward Emma Bigham put a rebound from Katie McMillan into a wide-open net to bring the Skippers back to the state tournament.

Minnetonka played from behind for much of the game, however.

Wayzata struck first, scoring just 35 seconds into the game. Sophomore forward Natalie Heising drove right to the net, made a move to fake the goalie to the ice and then buried the puck for a 1-0 lead.

Wayzata goalie Sarah Stelter came up big in the first period, as Minnetonka generated a few rushes. A one-on-one breakaway came just after Wayzata’s goal. Then Stelter denied the Skippers on a couple of 2-on-1 rushes as well.

Wayzata kept the puck in the offensive zone early on. But after awhile both teams missed capitalizing on a few good chances. It looked like Wayzata would head into the locker room with a lead. That’s when Minnetonka’s Kippen Keller netted a shot from the right side to tie the game 1-1.

Minnetonka controlled play a bit more to open up the second period. However, Ms. Hockey Finalist Sophia Shaver got the lead back for Wayzata with a goal in the middle of the period. After a shot and scramble in front of the net, goalie Taty Delaittre couldn’t find the puck until it was too late.

The Skippers just couldn’t bury their chances. The puck wasn’t bouncing their way, either. A possible odd-man rush was foiled after the puck took an unfortunate bounce off a referee’s skate, stopping it cold.

In the third, it looked like Wayzata might ride the lead to the end. But Keller scored her second of the game on a shot from the circle to tie the game 2-2.

Check back later for more on the game.