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Andover hands Maple Grove its first loss in conference contest

By Josh Dungan, SportsEngine, 12/23/19, 1:45PM CST

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Hayden Masloski's first period goal was the difference maker, as goaltender Will Larson stopped all 23 shots he faced in the Huskies' win.


Andover senior forward Hayden Masloski gets the Huskies started with a first period goal Thursday night in Andover. The Huskies handed Maple Grove its first loss this season with a 4-0 shutout. Photo by Drew Herron, SportsEngine

After a season opening home-and-home series that it split with Blake, it had been nearly a month since Andover had taken the ice in front of its home fans. The Huskies (5-1-0, 2-0-0) made sure the wait was worth it, as they shut out Northwest Suburban Conference rival Maple Grove 4-0.

“We were excited to play Maple Grove because the speed limit is really high,” said Andover coach Mark Manney. “It gets you out of your comfort zone. I think both teams learned a lot from tonight and we’re already looking forward to playing them again in about a month.”

Andover beat the Crimson by a combined score of 9-2 last season, and it looked like Thursday evening’s game at Andover Ice Arena would be a much closer contest. But in the minutes that followed a tenacious penalty kill against Maple Grove’s high-octane power-play unit (nine goals in 14 chances coming into the game), Andover, ranked No. 6 in the Class 2A coaches' poll, began to take control of play on the ice.


Andover senior goalie Will Larson stuffs a scoring chance by Maple Grove center Kyle Kukkonen during the second period Thursday night. Larson stopped 23 shots in a 4-0 shutout victory. Photo by Drew Herron, SportsEngine

First Report

A goal late in the first period would be all that Andover (5-1-0, 2-0-0) needed to take down Northwest Suburban Conference rival Maple Grove (6-1-0, 3-1-0) in Anderson Ice Arena Thursday evening, 4-0.

The Huskies, ranked No. 6 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, kicked off their domination of the No. 2-2A Crimson when senior forward Hayden Masloski scored with 2:52 left in the first period. Masloski was followed onto the score sheet by junior forward Garrett Schifsky (power play goal), senior forward Luke Kron and senior forward Gunnar Thoreson (shorthanded).

Junior goalie Jack Wieneke made 31 saves in net for the Crimson. The Crimson power play, which entered the game having converted on nine of its first fourteen attempts, was held out of the net in its two chances.

Andover’s junior goalie Will Larson stopped all 23 shots he faced.

The MN Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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