Girls Hockey: Warriors skate to Class 2A title game. No. 3 Brainerd/LF upsets No. 2 Andover on Abear's OT goal

ST. PAUL-The scenario was similar, but the result was much different this time for the Brainerd/Little Falls girls hockey team.

Exactly one year ago, Andover rallied to defeat the Warriors 4-3 in overtime in the Class 2A state consolation semifinals. On Friday, Feb. 22, the two teams met again at state in the championship semifinals. The Huskies again rallied to tie B/LF and force overtime. This time the No. 3 Warriors prevailed just 10 seconds into the extra session as Cheyenne Abear took a centering pass from Gabbie Smith and buried a shot into the net for a 3-2 victory over No. 2 Andover.

"Gabbie (Smith) got a good jump off the faceoff and controlled the puck behind their net," said Warrior coach Jim Ernster, whose team will play in its first state final in program history at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. "Cheyenne found the quiet area, and Gabbie made the pass. It's a credit to both of them for making that play on such a huge stage."

Abear will always remember the goal, but she said it happened fast and doesn't remember a lot of details.

"I know that it feels better than last year," the senior said in reference to last year's consolation semifinal overtime loss to the Huskies.

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Warriors 3, Andover 2 OT

• Key: Cheyenne Abear's goal 10 seconds into overtime sends Warriors to their first state final
• Overall: Brd 25-4-1; And 24-5
• Next: No. 3 Brainerd vs. No. 1 Edina in state championship, 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul

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The Warriors also "felt good" about scoring the game's first goal like they did in their 4-0 quarterfinal win over White Bear Lake.

"The first goal was big because we knew (Andover) had a high-powered offense," said winning netminder Olivia King, who didn't allow a goal until 6:16 of the third period.

King kept her team in the game during regulation time as she finished with 38 saves.

"This is the time of year when you win with senior leadership and great goaltending," said Ernster. "And Olivia has performed at a tremendous level at state."

The Warriors were outshot 18-7 in the opening period but led 1-0 when eighth-grader Lucy Peterson notched her first varsity goal at 5:07. Emma Booth dropped a pass to Peterson, who fired a wrist shot past Andover netminder Cassidy Stumo. Shaylee Stroot also assisted on the tally.

"Our coaches said it was important to get shots, so I just wanted to get the shot on net," Peterson said of her goal.

King did a great job of covering the angles and not giving the Huskies much of an opening to shoot. She stood her ground when Andover had a two-skater advantage for 1:09 midway through the period. She faced six shots during two lengthy scrambles in front of her net. King's biggest save came with 44.3 seconds left in the period when she robbed Jamie Nelson from close range. Nelson was the Huskies' biggest scoring threat in the first session.

The Warriors began taking control of the play when Andover was called for three penalties in just over three minutes midway through the period. Stumo made a handful of big saves on the two-man advantage, but the biggest stop came just before the second penalty expired when King stopped a shorthanded chance in front by Gabby Krause.

King continued to play well in the middle period as she made another 11 saves, including keeping Andover off the scoreboard during a power play late in the session, including stopping Sara Kaiser from close range.

B/LF extended the lead to 2-0 with 36.3 seconds remaining before intermission when Abby Pohlkamp took a pass from Gabbie Smith, skated across the Huskies' blue line and fired a wrist shot that beat Stumo on the glove side for her first goal of the state tournament.

Andover began its comeback in the third period when defenseman Kennedy Little fired a shot into the top corner of the net at 6:16 to cut the deficit to 2-1. It was the first goal allowed by King in more than 91 minutes of the state tournament.

The Huskies tied it at 10:48 when Hannah Stauffeneker's shot deflected off King's pads and trickled across the goal line just inside the post.

Both teams had scoring chances at the end of regulation, including big saves by King on Krause and Sara Kaiser in the final minute.

The Warriors then advanced with their first overtime-winning goal of the season.

"How often do you play overtime for a chance to reach the state title game," Ernster said. "This has been a lot of fun, but I just wish the game was earlier than 7 p.m. tomorrow night. It's going to be a long day of waiting for the girls. I don't know if we're going to need to teach them juggling?"

Tournament notes:

• Senior forwards Chantrelle Thayer and Ella Kalusche represented B/LF as 2018-19 Hobey Baker High School Character Award recipients. The honor is in recognition of exemplary character and sportsmanship.

• The Warriors were the first northern Minnesota girls' team to reach the Class 2A state semifinals since Grand Rapids/Greenway made it in 2008.

• B/LF is 23-0 this season when scoring three times. The last time the Warriors scored three goals and lost was in last year's state consolation semifinals when they lost to Andover 4-3 in overtime

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Andover 0 0 2 0 - 2

Brainerd/LF 1 1 0 1 - 3

First period: Brd-Lucy Peterson (Emma Booth, Shaylee Stroot) 5:07

Second period: Brd-Abby Pohlkamp (Gabbie Smith, Cheyenne Abear) 16:23

Third period: And-Kennedy Little (Madel Jungensen, Paige Anderson) 6:16; And-Hannah Stauffeneker (Jungensen) 10:48

Overtime: Brd-Abear (Gabbie Smith) 0:10

Shots on goal: BLF 23, And 40

Goalies: BLF-Olivia King (38 saves); And-Cassidy Stumo (20 saves)