The game had ended, the final handshakes had passed, and the zamboni was ready to clean the ice for the night. 

But five Blake seniors lingered on the ice, sitting in a small circle with their helmets off, extending their time together just a little while longer. 

“Thinking (about) that this was our last one, and how far we’ve come, is pretty cool,” senior captain Sara McClanahan said, explaining the general sentiment of that postgame conversation. 

“The fact that it’s the last time is also very emotional,” McClanahan admitted. 

The Bears downed Centennial 3-1 in Friday’s regular-season finale, with McClanahan scoring two goals and junior Izzy Daniel adding a single score.

Senior Anneke Linser scored the lone goal of the game for the Cougars (21-3-1) late in the third period.  

“She always comes up big,” Bears’ coach Shawn Reid said of McClanahan after the game. 

Reid would know best, having guided this current crop of Blake seniors to three Class 1A state championships in four state tournament appearances. 

Reid added that McClanahan, also a standout in soccer and lacrosse since her eighth-grade year, has been to a mind-boggling number of state tournaments across the three sports. 

“She’s already played in ten state tournaments,” Reid said. “Ten state tournaments. That’s ridiculous.”

The Bears, currently ranked No. 2 in the Youth Hockey Hub Staff Rankings, made the jump to Class 2A this season after dominating the class below, and have made a seamless transition to the state’s highest classification. 

With the move, the Bears (22-1-2) seem to be on a collision course with top-ranked Edina, and the two are the favorites to meet in the Section 6-2A finals. 

But McClanahan and her fellow seniors aren’t looking that far ahead. 

“(We’re trying to) focus on this game, and this game only,” McClanahan said. “Focus on the task at hand,” McClanahan continued. “Our biggest thing is living in the moment.”

However the Bears conclude the season, Reid said that the departing seniors have already compiled an impressive resume. 

“These girls are special,” Reid said. “They’ve accomplished a lot,” Reid continued. 

“They’re more than just hockey players. They’re well-rounded, intelligent, fantastic young women.