skip navigation

GHS: East Ridge Makes First State Tournament

By Peter Odney , 02/13/19, 11:00PM CST

Share

The Raptors rode strong team defense and a 21-save shutout by goaltender Emerald Kelley to their first section title.


East Ridge celebrates with its Class 2A, Section 3 trophy after the 2-0 win over Eagan.

Shutdown Defense Propels Raptors To Victory

Did you know that the East Ridge girls’ hockey team has won nearly 20 games this season? 

No, you didn’t. So don’t pretend that you did.

The Raptors very quietly accumulated 18 victories going into the Class 2A, Section 3 finals, and with an upset win over No. 1 seed and defending section champion Eagan, third-seeded East Ridge will make its first appearance on the state’s grandest stage. 

“I think we were definitely the underdog coming in, kind of the sleeper team,” East Ridge coach Kim McClintick said after the game. “We haven’t been ranked in the top-20 all year.”

Steadied by an unwavering commitment to team defense, the Raptors (19-8-1) blanked the Wildcats, despite only putting two shots on goal in the first period and eight shots on net in the second. 

“It helped to be ahead going into the second period even though we only had two shots,” McClintick said, adding that the first period also shook out the nerves several of her players were battling. 

Katherine Flynn scored the first goal for the third-seeded Raptors in the first period, and Lauren Beaubien netted the second tally on a loose puck in the Eagan crease in the second frame.

After scoring five goals in 22 regular-season games, the sophomore Beaubien scored in back-to-back playoff games to bring her season total to seven. Flynn, a senior, ranks among the team’s leading scorers with 19 goals and 37 points. 


Lauren Beaubien scored the second goal for East Ridge in Wednesday's win. The sophomore now has two goals in three playoff games after scoring five times during the regular season.

Defensively, goaltender Emerald Kelley earned a shutout on 21 saves, giving her a perfect 3-0 record in section play while stopping 65 of 69 shots. 

“Emerald played out of her mind tonight,” McClintick said. “(If) one goal goes in the game changes,” McClintick.

Senior defender Addi Scribner did not register a point on Wednesday night, a surprise considering the Ohio State commit has 35 total points this season, but logged more ice-time than any other Raptor and rested the urge to rush the puck as she often does. 

“My coach actually had to pull me aside during the intermission before the third (period) and said ‘play defense,’” Scribner said with a chuckle. 

The three-year varsity mainstay added that the Raptors needed no extra motivation after arriving at the Veterans Memorial Civic Center and finding that the paper posted on the glass doors leading into the arena incorrectly featured a battle between Eagan and Eastview, not East Ridge.

“We walk into this rink, and it says Eastview on the rink (doors), so people don’t even know who we are,” Scribner said amusedly. “There was another game this year (where) they announced us as Eastview all game.”

The public address announcer at the Xcel Energy Center won’t make that same mistake.


Eagan's Ashley Larson stopped 18 of 20 shots in the Wildcats' loss.

Recent MN YHH News