Andover head coach Melissa Volk’s husband Luke had a simple request before Thursday night’s Class 2A, Section 7 final against Forest Lake. 

“My husband was like ‘have a good game, do it in regulation,’” Volk said. 

Luke's wish came on the heels of Andover's epic four-overtime win over Elk River/Zimmerman in the section semifinals, a marathon that the Huskies managed to escape. 

Unfortunately for Luke, Thursday’s game required overtime, but the pain of an extra session was mitigated by the fact that the Huskies are now headed to the state tournament for the second consecutive season. 

Freshman forward Maddie Kaiser launched a wrist shot from below the face-off dot in the Forest Lake zone that beat Ranger goaltender Ally Goehner over her right shoulder just 23 seconds into the fourth period. 

“I was just trying to get the puck on the net so we could get a rebound,” Kaiser said after the game.

Kaiser spent last season skating with the Andover Peewee AA team, and less than a year later she’s shaking hands and accepting a section championship medal, an emotional roller-coaster that’s just begun as the Huskies advance to St. Paul.  

“I didn’t even know it went in until I was on the ground and everyone was on top of me,” Kaiser said. “I couldn’t breathe. I was just so happy.”

The Huskies rebounded after Forest Lake (25-3) scored with less than six minutes remaining in regulation on a loose puck in the Andover crease that the players believed had been covered by goaltender Cassidy Stumo. 

“That was definitely a punch in the gut, but unfortunately in big games like this you’re going to face adversity,” Volk said. “You’ve just gotta think positively and move forward. 

For Andover, moving forward meant tying the game, which the Huskies were able to do with just 13 seconds left in the third period on a goal by Gabby Krause. 

“I thought we had a lot of good scoring opportunities,” Volk said of her team’s late charge. “Once again we were kind of waiting a little while to put it in the net, but Gabby’s a great player, and she put one up for the team.”

Sophomore Peyton Hemp tallied the second goal in the win for the Huskies (23-4), scoring from nearly the same angle as Kaiser would two periods later. While Kaiser appeared exhausted and spent after the game, Hemp looked ready to play four overtimes, jubilantly shoving fellow Huskies and ecstatically shouting before the postgame handshake. 

“We’re just hugging everybody, punching everyone, fist-bumping everyone,” Hemp said. “(I’m) pretty jacked up right now.”

Hemp and Kaiser, both Minnesota verbal commits, have come through the vaunted Andover youth program, only adding to Hemp’s delight in Kaiser’s game-winner. 

“I’ve grown up with her, she’s one of my best friends,” Hemp said. 

“I’m so proud of her for that goal.”