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Unbeaten Edina responds quickly to put away rival Minnetonka

By Ryan Williamson, SportsEngine, 02/02/21, 6:00PM CST

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Sophomore Lauren Zawoyski’s goal just 15 seconds after the Skippers tied the game at 2 gave the Hornets the lead for good.

Edina’s Emma Conner (16) carries the puck into the offensive zone against Minnetonka Tuesday night. Conner had a goal in the Hornets’ 3-2 victory over the Skippers at Braemar Arena in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Edina’s Emma Conner (16) carries the puck into the offensive zone against Minnetonka Tuesday night. Conner had a goal in the Hornets’ 3-2 victory over the Skippers at Braemar Arena in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

The rosters for Edina and Minnetonka are stacked with senior standouts who have a chance to bring home some hardware at the end of the season, whether it’s the coveted Ms. Hockey or the Senior Goalie of the Year awards, or perhaps this year’s Class 2A state title.

But when the teams met on Tuesday at Braemar Arena, it was the young guns who stole the show. Three of the game’s five total goals scored came from freshmen or sophomores, including forward Lauren Zawoyski, a sophomore who tallied the game-winner helping Edina escape with a 3-2 win against their Lake Conference rival.

Though both teams entered the matchup undefeated, and in a similar spot in the Class 2A rankings — with Edina at No. 2 in the coaches’ poll and Minnetonka at No. 3 — the Skippers have had trouble cracking the code when it comes to defeating the Hornets. Edina hasn’t lost to Minnetonka since a 4-1 defeat on Jan. 23, 2016.

In the opening period Tuesday, the Hornets (6-0) were buzzing and took a 2-0 lead after absorbing some early punches from the Skippers. 

After Edina junior forward Berit Lindborg scored to make it 1-0, the Hornets’ top line of seniors, Hannah Chorske and Emma Conner, along with freshman Hannah Halverson, went to work. Conner, a future Minnesota Golden Gopher, added her team-best 12th goal as her and Chorske used their puck possession skills to hold the puck and create a shot which Conner converted.

“They’re two special, special players,” Edina coach Sami Reber said of Conner and Chorske. “It’s a great trio that we are confident in, that will put pucks in the back of the net and play solid in the d-zone.”

Edina’s Uma Corniea (41) makes a pad save against Minnetonka Tuesday night. Corniea turned aside 23 shots in the Hornets’ 3-2 victory over the Skippers at Braemar Arena in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Edina’s Uma Corniea (41) makes a pad save against Minnetonka Tuesday night. Corniea turned aside 23 shots in the Hornets’ 3-2 victory over the Skippers at Braemar Arena in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, Minnetonka sailed its way back into Tuesday’s matchup at Braemar Arena in Edina, as the Skippers tied the game at 2 with about 10 minutes remaining in the third period. That stalemate lasted all of 15 seconds, however, as Lauren Zawoyski scored to set up Edina for a 3-2 triumph over its Lake Conference rival.

The Hornets (6-0) held off some early pressure from the Skippers to jump ahead. Their first goal came amidst a scrum in front of the net, which junior forward Berit Lindborg capitalized on to make it 1-0.

Edina, ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, doubled its lead against No. 3-2A Minnetonka just minutes later. Senior forward Emma Conner tallied her team-best 12th goal of the season on the play.

The Skippers (5-1) cracked an Edina defense that had allowed just three goals all season in the second period. Minnetonka broke through on the power play as freshman Lindzi Avar scored her fourth goal this winter.

Minnetonka tallied the then-equalizer in the third period as sophomore forward Grace Sadura battled with Edina sophomore goaltender Uma Corniea until the puck eked through Corniea to make it 2-2. 

Corniea, a Princeton commit, finished with 23 saves against the Skippers. Senior goaltender Brynn Dulac, who is committed to Cornell, finished with 25 saves.

Minnetonka's Grace Sadura (7) looks for a shooting lane while breaking toward the Edina net Tuesday night. Sadura had a goal and an assist in the Skippers’ 3-2 loss in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Grace Sadura (7) looks for a shooting lane while breaking toward the Edina net Tuesday night. Sadura had a goal and an assist in the Skippers’ 3-2 loss in Edina. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

The MN Girls' Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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