Last season, Edina and Breck each raised state championship trophies on the ice at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
On Tuesday, these potential state championship contenders meet at Breck's Anderson Ice Arena — an early season measuring stick for two programs familiar with the pinnacle of high school hockey — in our Top Game of the Week.
Since losing its season opener 4-3 to Andover on Nov. 8, Edina, ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A state coaches' poll from Nov. 28, has six consecutive victories heading into Tuesday.
What has driven the Hornets' winning streak? They've benefited from an offense averaging almost six goals a game.
The Hornets (6-1-0) challenge opposing defenses with a variety of players who can put points on the board. Annie Kuehl, CC Bowlby and Katie Davis each have eight goals, while Kuehl has nine assists and leads the team with 17 points.
Olivia Mobley returns after leading Breck with 32 goals and 49 points last season, and the Quinnipiac commit was especially impressive in the state tournament, where she tallied five goals. Mobley is again a key piece of the offensive attack for the No. 1-1A Mustangs (6-1-0), producing nine goals and three assists in seven games this season. She has twice scored four goals — in a 7-3 victory at Benilde-St. Margaret's on Nov. 13 and in a 7-1 pummeling of Mounds View 11 days later.
Breck's lone loss this season came in a rematch of last year's Class 1A state championship game on Nov. 30, when they were shut out by Warroad 3-0. The bright spot: Eighth-grade goalie Uma Corniea made 40 stops for the Mustangs against the Warriors.