The thud of Minnetonka’s missed desperation shot off the boards, the horn sounding and the shrieks from the Eden Prairie faithful meant one thing:

The Eagles earned a trip to the girls’ hockey state tournament.

Losers in three previous games against the Skippers this season, Eden Prairie got the one that mattered most.

A 2-1 victory in the Class 2A, Section 2 championship game Friday at Ridder Arena sent the Eagles to St. Paul for next week’s state tournament. 

“We had confidence going into this game,” Eden Prairie coach Jaime Grossman said. “Even though they beat us three times, we felt we outplayed them a good portion of all those games.”

Total effort was required in the section final. Grossman credited players for clogging the middle, blocking shots and limiting top seed Minnetonka’s open looks at the net. Sophomore goaltender Alexa Dobchuk appreciated her teammates’ assistance.

“My team played honestly the best game in front of me that I’ve ever seen,” Dobchuk said.

Whatever shots Eagles’ skaters didn’t block, Dobchuk turned away or snatched out of the air.

Even as Minnetonka’s catalyst Presley Norby, a Ms. Hockey finalist, squirted free in the high slot and fired with about a minute to play, Dobchuk remained calm and made the glove save.

“You just kind of react in the moment,” Dobchuk said. “But then afterward it’s like, ‘That was kind of nice.’ ”

Lauren Oberle got the No. 2 seed Eagles (19-7-2) going with a first period goal. Teammate Naomi Rogge built a 2-0 lead four minutes into the third period.

Norby answered with a power-play goal at 7:30, creating an all-too-familiar scenario. Eden Prairie’s last loss to Minnetonka started with a two-goal lead and ended with a Norby hat trick.

Not this time.

“We learned from that and knew we had to stay positive,” Rogge said. “That’s what we did and it worked.”

Norby’s power-play goal marked the only time Minnetonka (21-4-2) converted on three man-advantages in the third period.

“We’re for sure disappointed,” Skippers’ coach Eric Johnson said. “We wanted to get some better looks. Sometimes solving that puzzle has a little more to do with moving the puck around a little better. But give Eden Prairie credit for playing well on defense in those situations.”

First report

Eden Prairie’s 2-1 upset of Minnetonka in the Class 2A, Section 2 title game Friday means the Skippers will miss out on a fifth consecutive state tournament appearance.

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the third period at Ridder Arena and hung on for their first victory against Minnetonka in four tries this season.

Lauren Oberle and Naomi Rogge scored for Eden Prairie. A power-play goal from Minnetonka’s Presley Norby cut the lead in half but the Skippers (21-4-2) got no closer.

Eden Prairie (19-7-2), seeded No. 2, won its third section championship in four years.

Check back later for more details.