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Andover clinches first 2A state tournament trip with 8-1 rout of Elk River/Zimmerman

By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune , 02/27/20, 9:00PM CST

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The No. 1-ranked Huskies cruised to victory at Amsoil Arena, where their last two Section 7 final appearances ended with overtime losses.


Elk River forward Zach Michaelis (9) tried to slow down Andover defender Mitchell Wolfe (4) in the first period. Photo: ALEX KORMANN • alex.kormann@startribune.com

DULUTH – Though a state tournament newcomer, Andover knows the drill.

Not long after routing Elk/River Zimmerman 8-1 in the Class 2A, Section 7 final Thursday at Amsoil Arena, Huskies coach Mark Manney and his players made their case as the No. 1 seed in the Class 2A field.

“I think we’ve earned it,” Manney said. “We haven’t played a super-tough schedule the second half. But at the same time, this team accomplished a lot of great things. We led Class 2A in goals scored and fewest goals against – and power-play percentage.

“But we’ll play whoever,” Manney said. “The students want us to be the No. 2 seed so we get the 11 a.m. game, and they get out of school.”

The bracket is selected Saturday morning. Andover has Elk River/Zimmerman coach Ben Gustafson’s endorsement. A third-period goal from the No. 6 seed Elks (12-15) ended Andover’s streak of 14 consecutive periods without giving up a goal.

“That’s a special team,” Gustafson said.


Andover forward Luke Kron (7) caught some air while trying to score in the first period. Photo: ALEX KORMANN • alex.kormann@startribune.com

First report

DULUTH – Finally, Andover turned Amsoil Arena from a house of heartbreak to a historical site.

An 8-1 rout of Elk River/Zimmerman on Thursday in the Class 2A, Section 7 championship game earned the top-ranked Huskies their first state tournament appearance.

Gunnar Thoreson had his fingerprints all over the Andover offense in the first period. He carried the puck deep in the Elk River/Zimmerman zone, then dropped a pass for teammate Grant Schifsky to bury just 1:13 into the game.

Less than five minutes later, Thoreson got credited for the Huskies’ second goal when the Elks inadvertently knocked the puck over the goal line. Andover led 2-0 at the end of the opening period and held an 18-8 advantage in shots on goal.

The pressure Andover applied in the first period did not subside. Luke Kron’s goal just 45 seconds into the second period built a 3-0 lead. Playing a man down didn’t deter the Huskies, either. Kron finished a Schifsky pass for a shorthanded goal and 4-0 lead at 4:48 of the second period.

Harrison VanderMey scored a little more than one minute later before Thoreson whipped a puck high into the corner of the net. At 6-0, the rout was on.

No. 1 seed Andover (24-3-1) lost its past two section finals in overtime against Duluth East. The Huskies’ run through Section 7 did not offer a chance for payback as Forest Lake ended the Greyhounds season in the quarterfinals – a first for the proud Duluth East program since 1993.

A sparse crowd Thursday owed to the lack of a northern participant. But in Andover, Section 7 will have strong state tournament representation.

The Huskies, who won 7-2 on Jan. 30 at Elk River in Northwest Suburban Conference play, have won 15 consecutive games and took a streak of 14 consecutive periods without allowing a goal into Thursday’s third period.

No. 6 seed Elk River/Zimmerman (12-15) won seven of its past nine games but could not continue the magic.

In the past week, the center of the hockey universe in the United States, a distinction ESPN bestowed on Edina, moved about 30 miles north to Andover. Last Saturday, the Andover girls’ hockey program won its first state championship (against Edina, no less). And now the boys’ program heads to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul next week aiming for a banner of its own.

Check back later for more on the game.

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