For the first time since 2008, the Centennial girls’ hockey team is going to the Class AA State Hockey Tournament.
Anneke Linser scored 1:38 into the hockey game and her linemate Gabbie Hughes tallied two goals in the first 3:17 of the third to provide more than enough offense to secure the Cougars win and Section 5AA championship over Blaine on Friday night.
“All I can say its an amazing feeling. I’ve never felt it before. It’s awesome,” proclaimed Linser postgame.
Following Linser’s goal to open the game, Blaine was able to withstand the Cougars’ heavy attack in the first six minutes of the period and keep it 1-0. Goaltender Jaela O’Brien made some big saves for the Bengals as well, but Blaine started to punch back and the teams went toe to toe over the next period and a half.
“We knew it was going to be a battle. It always is against Blaine,” said Centennial head coach Kristi King. “Our goal was just to keep pressing, keep going, and to outwork them. Eventually, it was going to give.”
Centennial was on its heels for a bit in the second period, as Blaine had a pair of power plays while pushing the play at times during even strength. But they were able to withstand the storm, thanks to some saves from their goaltender Mackenna Stoterau — who made all 22 in this game — to keep the score 1-0 heading into the second intermission.
Coming out of the intermission, Centennial had 1:35 of power-play time and wasted no time getting an insurance goal.
Hughes added to her goal total this season with a marker just 37 seconds into the final frame. The goal gave Centennial a bit more confidence to open the period.
“It definitely gave us confidence,” King said. “We tell our team you can’t get too high and you cant get too low regardless of what happens. We went ahead by two and we knew they were a team that can come back.”
But Hughes was not done yet, as she added another for good measure just 2:40 after her first goal. So in the first 3:17 of the third, Centennial had added a pair of goals — thanks to Hughes — and were well on their way to the state tournament in St. Paul next week.
“Some bounces went our way and that’s what happens. You find luck when you work hard,” added King of the third-period goals.
The Cougars were able to cruise in the remaining 13:43 of the third and celebrated the team’s first section championship in a decade. “It’s amazing. I don’t have words for it, honestly,” King said. “It’s everything we have worked and dreamed of over the last five years.”
“We could not have done it without every single person on this team. Everyone worked their butts off,” said Linser.
With the state tournament in St. Paul next week, the celebration will have to be short-lived for the Cougars, as they begin to prepare to play the state’s best. But as King noted, they have played some strong competition all season.
“We faced Blake and Andover in our last two regular-season games and Andover already has a ticket to the tourney,” King said. “These are teams we have played throughout the year and competed against and they have all been one-goal games. I know we are prepared already but these next few days of practice will be super important to achieve our next goal.”
“It’s a good time to do it,” Linser said regarding making the State Tournament with Hughes. “Senior year, it’s definitely the best time to do it. It will be awesome.”
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