Eden Prairie's Claire Kuipers (15) and Becca Kniss (2) moved in to join Crystalyn Hengler after she scored for the Eagles in the third period. Photo: JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com
Eden Prairie senior co-captain Crystalyn Hengler had a limited edition stick that broke a couple weeks back. So, a replacement was shipped to her house.
“I literally just got it today right before I came to this game,” Hengler said.
Just in time.
Hengler scored the game-winner with that lucky stick as part of Eden Prairie’s (19-9-1) 2-0 victory over No. 4 seed Andover in the Class 2A quarterfinal game Thursday at Xcel Energy Center. Off the faceoff, her shot from the point got through traffic and found the net to break a scoreless tie just one minute, 15 seconds into the third period.
Photo gallery: Eden Prairie vs. Andover, Edina vs. Brainerd/Little Falls
Before the stick broke in practice, Hengler had scored eight goals in three games with it, coach Jaime Grossman said.
“Looks like that stick’s a good stick for her,” Grossman said.
Hengler had a team-high nine shots on goal. Becca Kniss assisted on Hengler’s goal and added an empty-netter with one minute, 22 seconds to play.
Eagles senior goaltender Alex Dobchuk took care of things on the other end, earning her eighth shutout of the season with 29 saves. Andover’s Cassidy Stumo had 29 stops as well.
Andover (21-7-1) had 51 shot attempts but couldn’t solve five-year starter Dobchuk for a goal.
“I think we could’ve done a better job of getting on pucks a little bit harder,” Andover coach Melissa Volk said. “We did a good job the first 10 minutes of the game, and then after that kind of let off.”
First report
In a scoreless game to start the third period with a couple of solid goaltenders, something had to give.
So Eden Prairie senior captain and Ms. Hockey finalist Crystalyn Hengler blasted a point shot through traffic just 1:15 into the period for a 1-0 lead over Andover. Hengler's 19th goal and 40th point of the season was also her fourth game-winner this season, tied for the team lead.
The Eagles added an empty-net goal in the closing seconds to defeat Andover 2-0 in the second Class 2A quarterfinal Thursday at Xcel Energy Center.
It’s the ninth trip to the state tournament for the Eagles, who finished third last year after winning the Class 2A title in 2016.
In the second period, the Eagles found their offensive game in every way, except putting the puck in the net. They outshot the Huskies 16-5 in the period.
Meanwhile, Andover didn’t get its first shot on goal in the second until nearly 10 minutes had elapsed as the Eagles built a 9-0 shot advantage to that point.
Andover junior goaltender Cassidy Stumo came up with big saves as the teams traded scoring chances late in the second. Stumo made 29 saves in the game.
Eagles senior goaltender Alex Dobchuk answered the call with solid saves early in the first period. Then she stopped Andover’s Claire Butorac on a backhanded shot with just over three minutes left in the second.
Dobchuk (18-9-1) earned her eighth shutout of the season with her 29 saves.
Check back later for more on the game.
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