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Deadlocked after two periods, Edina avoids upset against Wayzata

By Adam Holt, SportsEngine, 12/15/17, 4:00PM CST

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Emily Oden tallied a pair of goals and an assist to help the Hornets edge the Trojans.

Edina forward Hannah Chorske looks for an opening to pass the puck in the Hornets' game against Wayzata at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Hornets beat the Trojans 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

Edina forward Hannah Chorske looks for an opening to pass the puck in the Hornets' game against Wayzata at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Hornets beat the Trojans 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

Seven games into the season, and the final scores were mostly lopsided for the Hornets — they won three times by six or more goals.

The last two were closer. While Edina’s still 8-0 after a 5-3 win over conference rival Wayzata Saturday, it served as a second straight reminder that teams are going to give the defending champion Hornets all they’ve got.

“It was definitely a test,” Edina coach Sami Reber said. “Wayzata came hungry and ready to play. Big conference and section game. It was fun. We love these type of games; keep us on our toes, we’ve gotta battle all the way to the end. So it was definitely a good test for us.”

Wayzata, which is ranked No. 14 in the Class 2A coaches' poll, took a brief lead on Edina in their Lake Conference opener, despite the No. 1-2A Hornets holding a large edge in possession and shots on goal.

The Trojans (6-5-1, 0-1-0) scored twice on the power play, and it was tied going into the first and second intermissions.

Edina scored twice in the first 6 minutes, 22 seconds of the third period to take the lead for good, but Wayzata still threatened, pulling within 4-3 midway through the period. Like in their 5-3 win the previous outing against Grand Rapids, the Hornets found themselves battling in the third.

“It was a good test to see what our team’s made of, and see how our third period could come together and play as a team,” senior forward Emily Oden said.

Oden and her linemates on the No. 1 unit for Edina all scored in the win over Wayzata. Oden, a University of Minnesota signee, had two goals and an assist, including the game-winning score. Lolita Fidler gave the Hornets their first goal of the third, and CC Bowlby finished an empty netter — on a play sparked by Oden’s hustle — to seal the game.

It’s focus and attitude that had the Hornets unperturbed with the close nature of Saturday’s win. And with plenty of experience — that top line has two seniors and a junior — the Hornets just worry about getting the job done.

“It’s huge. Our seniors like Emily Oden and Loli Fidler, I could name all of them.The upperclassmen really stepped up,” Reber said. “Just to show the underclassmen and some of the new girls like, hey, we battle all the way to the final buzzer. Leadership’s huge; we count on those guys to carry the team a little bit, just make sure the energy’s good, stay positive through the entire 51 minutes.”

With conference play beginning, there are more tough games on tap, with Eden Prairie and Minnetonka currently ranked. A matchup with current No. 2-2A Blake also looms.

The Hornets aren’t worried about rankings or thinking too far ahead, though. Right now, they know they’ll get a fight from everyone they play, and it’s a challenge they relish.

“It keeps us in check, almost,” Reber said. “We don’t look at the rankings, we don’t focus on that stuff. But we know people are out to get us. It just keeps us in check, so we don’t overlook any games. We take it one day at a time, one game at a time and just keep doing what we’re doing.”

Oden echoed a similar opinion.

“Yeah, I think that’s what makes it fun,” Oden added. “Knowing they’re out to get us, and us bringing our hardest game and showing them what we’re made of.”

Edina forward Emily Oden takes control of the puck at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Hornets beat the Trojans 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

Edina forward Emily Oden takes control of the puck at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Hornets beat the Trojans 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

First Report

It was a battle through the first two periods of the game, but Edina, which is ranked No. 1 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, eventually broke through to hold off a feisty Wayzata squad in the Lake Conference Showcase.

After the score was knotted at two apiece through two periods, a three-goal third period lifted the Hornets to a 5-3 win in its conference opener over the Trojans Saturday at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka.

Senior forward Emily Oden had two goals and an assist, including the game-winner, and the Hornets’ top line accounted for four goals.

To break the tie in the third, Loli Fiedler broke through on the power play 4 minutes, 25 seconds into the period for a 3-2 lead. Oden scored her second of the game less than two minutes later. Wayzata got back within one on a shot from the point by McKenzie Schindler, but Edina got two power plays in the final five minutes and an empty-net goal from CC Bowlby with three seconds to go.

Stephanie Garvis was big for Wayzata, making 35 saves on 39 shots faced. Maddie McCollins gave Wayzata (6-5-1, 0-1-0) a brief lead in the second, and Alexa Ocel also scored for the Trojans.

Elli Strittmater made 15 saves for Edina (8-0, 1-0), which also got a goal from Aliyah Lance. Edina outshot No. 14-2A Wayzata 40-18.

Wayzata defender Sloane Matthews goes for the puck against Edina at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Trojans lost to the Hornets 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

Wayzata defender Sloane Matthews goes for the puck against Edina at the Lake Conference Showcase at the Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka. The Trojans lost to the Hornets 5-3. Photo by Meagan Lynch, SportsEngine

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