Special teams play provided the spark that guided No. 3 Andover to a 6-0 victory over Rosemount in the Class AA quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League’s Girls Hockey Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

A runner-up in last year’s tournament and state champions in 2020 and 2022, Andover enjoyed a perfect day on special teams a 2-of-2 rate on the power play and a 2-of-2 performance on the penalty kill against the Irish.

Click the video box on this page to watch extended highlights of the Class AA Girls Hockey State Quarterfinal between Andover and Rosemount

The victory sends the Huskies (22-4-3) to the semifinals on Friday where they will face No. 2 Hill-Murray for the third time this season. Hill-Murray won the first contest, 2-0, on Dec. 22, and the Huskies rebounded with a 6-2 win on Jan. 13.

Andover opened the game’s scoring at 7:31 of the first period with a power play goal by Avery Kasick, which included assists from Samantha Angellotti and Hannah Christenson.  The Huskies stretched their lead to 2-0 at 11:52 of the first period with a goal by Ella Thoreson on a solo assist from Nora Sauer.

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Andover’s special team sparked again in the second period as Cailin Mumm scored her squad’s second power play goal of the afternoon at 10:05 as Mackenzie Jones notched the lone assist on the play that made the score 3-0.

In the third period, Andover pushed its lead to 4-0 with a nifty wrap around goal by Maya Engler at 9:47 with assists by Hanna Olson and Christenson.  Mumm then added her second goal of the day at 11:39 of the third period on an assist from Ellarae Atkinson.

To complete the day’s scoring, Engler cleaned up on a centering pass from Christenson to score her second goal of the game at 15:51 of the third period.  Olson added the second assist on the play that made the final 6-0.

Andover goaltender Clairebella Hills coined the first shutout of the tournament for Andover as she posted 11 saves in the game.  In the game, the Huskies outshot the Irish 37-11.

Rosemount (14-10-5) moves into the consolation bracket and it will match up against Roseau (18-11-0) at the TRIA Rink in St. Paul at 10:00 a.m. on February 23.

Courtesy: Minnesota State High School League