HDM2022: Andover and Edina clash to kick off Hockey Day Minnesota

The essentials

Andover

The Andover girls' hockey team focuses a lot on being mentally tough. That piece can be key in one-goal games and eventual victories they've pulled out this season against Benilde-St. Margaret's, Rogers, Minnetonka, Maple Grove and Hill-Murray. The top-ranked Huskies found themselves in many close-game situations this season where being confident in themselves, relying on their abilities and trusting the process has helped net favorable outcomes, according to coach Melissa Volk.
"We just talk about how things are not always going to go your way in, obviously hockey, but most importantly in life," Volk said. "It's kind of up to you how you approach it and what you can do about it. We talk a lot about self-accountability, self-awareness and our team-first mentality."
As far as production, the Huskies look to their top line of juniors Ella Boerger, Madison Brown and Isa Goettl. Boerger and Brown are both committed to the University of St. Thomas. Boerger is the team's leading scorer with 18 goals and 38 points in 17 games. Brown and Goettl each had 29 points through 17 games.
The Huskies also have a lot more depth this season than they initially thought, Volk said. After graduating a large chunk of its roster, Andover came back with a young squad of underclassmen and upperclassmen fulfilling different roles. The depth includes six players from Andover's undefeated, state-championship 15A team from last season.
Freshman Maya Engler centers senior Sara Kaiser, who's committed to McKendree University for lacrosse and has plenty of goal-scoring ability. Freshman Hannah Christenson has also contributed some really good goals, Volk said.
Then there's senior captain Ashley Grabau's line with sophomore Nora Sauer and freshman Hannah Olson.
"They just get on pucks so hard and just irritate the heck out of people," Volk said.
The Huskies are particularly young on the blue line, with four freshmen - Mackenzie Jones, Avery Kasick, Courtney Little and Ella Thoreson - and sophomores Merrill Delich and Cailin Mumm, the only returning defender from last season. Along with the talent, they're all very coachable, can move the puck up ice quickly and have high compete levels, according to Volk.
The Huskies rely on second-year starter junior Courtney Stagman in net. She's 15-0-0 with four shutouts, a 1.26 goals-against average and .937 save percentage, both ranking within the top-10 in the state.
Because Andover has so many young players, the matchup with Edina on Hockey Day isn't necessarily considered a rematch from last year's Class 2A championship game in which Edina was victorious. But the rivalry between a couple of the top programs in the state the past few seasons remains.
"Just being able to play a game against Edina is just so good for girls' hockey," Volk said. "For people from literally all over the world that can tune in and just to see some of the best girls' hockey players across the nation at the high-school level."

Edina

Edina girls' hockey coach Sami Reber played hockey at Edina and Harvard before returning to her roots at Braemar Arena to coach. Her Hornets teams are near perfect since she arrived behind the bench starting with the 2016-17 season. Her squads have won four of the past five Class 2A state titles, losing to Andover in 2020 before reclaiming the crown last spring to cap a perfect 22-0 pandemic-shortened season.
Reber came into this season 133-9-2. Of those nine losses, three were to Andover. Saturday's game will also be the second official outdoor-hockey experience for Reber and some of her Edina players this season. As the defending Class 2A champions, Edina was invited to represent girls' high school hockey on an auxiliary rink at Target Field for the NHL Winter Classic held on New Year's Day.
The Hornets are having another strong season, where winning games is almost a certainty.
One key piece for the Hornets comes in the net. Junior Uma Corniea, committed to Princeton, has been on the high school scene since her seventh-grade year. She won back-to-back Class 1A state titles with Breck in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to Edina. She was in goal when the Hornets finished second in 2020 and added a Class 2A state title to her achievements last year.
Corniea continues to be one of the top goaltenders across Minnesota this season. She entered the week 13-1-0 with seven shutouts and leads the state with a 0.71 goals-against average and .966 save percentage. She's allowed only 10 goals this season and has given up more than two in a game only twice, surrendering three in the lone loss, 3-2 to Minnetonka in a holiday tournament.
Oh, and it's hard to find her in a moment on the ice where she doesn't have a smile on her face.
"The numbers speak for themselves," Reber said. "That smile you see behind her mask is genuine. Every time she's on the ice, she's always laughing and smiling."
In front of Corniea is top defender and Hornets leading scorer, senior Vivian Jungels, a University of Wisconsin commit who has 11 goals and 32 points in 17 games. Eight of those goals have come on the power play. It's rare to see Jungels get beat one-on-one defensively, and if the Hornets need a goal, she'll likely be the one to put the puck in the net, Reber said.
"I'm a little biased, but I wholeheartedly believe that Vivian is the best defenseman in the state and arguable one of the best all-around players in the state," Reber said. "She is just a dominant force every time she's on the ice."
The defensive counterpart to Jungels is senior Haley Maxwell, who's played with freshman Tori Anderson the past few games. Though Maxwell doesn't put up the numbers like Jungels, with two goals and nine points in 17 games, Maxwell "is a crucial piece to our success" who can be put on the ice in every situation, Reber said.
Edina has depth in scoring from its top-six forwards. Seniors Jane Kuehl (12-7--19, Princeton commit) and Berit Lindborg (9-16--25, Ohio State commit) have stepped up this season after Edina graduated a lot of scoring from its forwards, according to Reber. Kuehl is a 200-foot player and one of the fastest Reber said she's ever seen with a great shot as well. Lindborg provides one of the quickest releases on her shot, "which in girls' hockey can be lethal," Reber said.
Then there's sophomore Hannah Halverson with a team-high 15 goals. Juniors Ellie Chapman and Lauren Zawoyski, along with freshman Whitney Horton, all help to provide scoring depth so that the Hornets feel confident no matter which line is on the ice.
Photos courtesy of Tom Morris (Edina) and Brooklynn Carlson (Andover)