State Girls Hockey: Andover beats Brainerd/Little Falls 5-0 in AA quarterfinals

On Thursday evening the first seed Andover Huskies (27-0-0) defeated the Brainerd Warriors (17-11-0) 5-0 in a physical game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to advance to the Class AA Semifinals of the Girls Hockey State Tournament.

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

Warrior goaltender, junior, Breya Sawyer made some impressive saves in the opening minutes of the game. A pile-up at the goal appeared to garner Andover their first goal of the game at 8:50. The shot was put under review and was not a goal. Huskies junior Madison Brown shot the puck to the goalkeeper’s knees at 9:46, junior Isa Goettl came into the net area to sneak the puck in for the first goal of the game, while Brown earned the assist. Warriors goaltender Sawyer ended the period with sixteen saves.

Huskies Junior Ella Boerger scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 10:03 in the second period. At the end of the second period, the Huskies had 18 shots on goal and the Warriors five. The Huskies also won 18 faceoffs.

At 29 seconds into the 3rd period, Huskies Goettl scored unassisted off the right pipe. At 8:54 in the third-period freshman, Mackenzie Jones scored on a slapshot that bounced off the goalie’s right glove, assisted by senior Abagail McQuay. Jones followed up that goal with an unassisted goal at 12:52 on a power play.

The Huskies had 53 shots on goal and the Warriors ended the game with 10 shots on goal.

The Huskies will advance to the semifinals at 8:00 p.m. on Friday against the winner of the Gentry Academy versus Maple Grove game, while the Warriors will play the losing team at 12:00 p.m. at TRIA Rink in St. Paul in the consolation round.

Click here for KSTP Sports’ Girls State Hockey Central Homepage

Courtesy: Minnesota State High School League