ST. PAUL — Top-seed Andover scored three goals early in the third period to earn its spot in the Minnesota girls Class AA title game with a 5-1 win over No. 5 Gentry Academy late Friday at Xcel Energy Center.
Andover will face Minnetonka, a 2-1 winner over Edina earlier in the evening, for the hardware on Saturday.
The game was knotted at one after two periods, but Nora Sauer, Madison Brown and Emma Heath all scored in a span of 50 seconds as the Huskies (29-0-0) foiled Gentry’s upset bid. Hannah Christianson added a goal for Andover later in the third.
“[After the scoring surge] you’re thinking ‘is this game over yet?’ and there’s still 12 minutes left,”Huskies coach Melissa Volk said. “We just had to finish it out.”
Maya Engler gave Andover a 1-0 lead at the 11:42 mark of the first period, but Jenessa Gazdik answered on the power play with 57 seconds left in the first.
1/13: Gentry Academy players gather around the net before their game against Andover Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
2/13: Andover's Hannah Christenson (34) and Gentry Academy's Maddie Geer (19) battle for the puck during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
3/13: Gentry Academy's Rachel Agerter (3) tries to steal the puck from Andover's Mackenzie Jones (19) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
4/13: Gentry Academy goalie Zoe Laming (35) blocks a shot by Andover's Isa Goettl (12) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
5/13: Gentry Academy's Cara Sajevic (7) steals the puck from Andover's Courtney Little (25) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
6/13: Andover's Madison Brown (10) tries to slip the puck past Gentry Academy goalie Zoe Laming (35) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
7/13: Andover's Madison Brown (10) and Gentry Academy's Julianna Gazdik (10) battle for the puck during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
8/13: Andover's Hannah Christenson (34) tries to slip the puck behind Gentry Academy goalie Zoe Laming (35) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
9/13: Andover's Ella Boerger (15) skates with the puck against Gentry Academy during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
10/13: Gentry Academy's Cara Sajevic (7) tries to get the puck away from Andover's Hannah Christenson (34) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
11/13: Gentry Academy's Skylar Salscheider (11) scores on Gentry Academy goalie Zoe Laming (35) during the first period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
12/13: Gentry Academy's Jenessa Gazdik (20) and Andover's Avery Kasick (24) battle for the puck behind the goal during the second period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
13/13: Andover's Hanna Olson (28) tries to get the puck from Gentry Academy's Jenessa Gazdik (20) during the second period Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
Courtney Stagman finished with eight saves in the victory and Zoe Laming stopped 25 shots for the Stars (23-7-0).
Andover defeated Minnetonka 1-0 on Nov. 13 and 4-3 Dec. 29.
“We can take confidence from the fact that we were on the winning side both times, but this is the state tournament and we’re going to have to earn it,” Volk said.
