Girls hockey: Fifth-ranked Andover slips past Stillwater in final seconds

ANDOVER — In its final tune-up before the start of section play, Stillwater fell to fourth-ranked Andover 4-3 in a nonconference girls hockey game on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Andover Arena.

It was the second loss in the last four games of the regular season for the Ponies (14-1-1 SEC, 16-8-1), who earned the No. 2 seed and will host North St. Paul/Tartan in a Section 4AA quarterfinal game on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the St. Croix Valley Rec Center.

The other top seeds in the section are Hill-Murray (1), Woodbury (3) and White Bear Lake (4). The semifinals will take place at Aldrich Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 13 and the finals are set for Thursday, Feb. 15, also at Aldrich.

Stillwater led on two different occasions against Andover, but the Huskies responded each time and also scored the game-winner with just seven seconds remaining in regulation as Maya Engler notched her second goal of the game.

Hannah Christenson opened the scoring for the Huskies (18-4-3) at 11:15 of the first period, but the Ponies answered in the opening minute of the second with a power play goal from Josephine Lang. It was the 12th power play goal of the season for the Providence College recruit, a defensemen with 16 goals and 29 assists this season.

Audrey Hackler pushed Stillwater in front 2-1 with a goal at 12:34, but Engler evened the score for the Huskies about two minutes later to pull even at 2-all.

Then in the third, Addy Finn scored another power play goal for the Ponies midway through the period to provide a 3-2 advantage. Courtney Little answered for the Huskies just 45 seconds later and Engler provided the deciding goal in the final seconds.

Stillwater 0 2 1 — 3

Andover 1 1 2 — 4

First period — 1. An, Hannah Christenson (Hanna Olson, Avery Kasick) 11:15.

Second period — 1. St, Josephine Lang (Brooke Nelson, Josie St. Martin) pp, :49; 2. St, Audrey Hackler (Ashlyn Hoff, Lang) 12:34; 2. An, Maya Engler (Cailin Mumm, Olson) 14:51.

Third period — 3. St, Addy Finn (St. Martin, Lang) pp, 8:00; 3. An, Courtney Little (Olson, Engler) 8:45; 4. An, Engler (unassisted) sh, 16:53.

Penalties — St, 6-12:00; An, 11-33:00.

Saves — St (Lily Timmons) 9-7-9—25; An (Clairebella Hills) 7-4-5—16.