Make room for a new state championship banner at Braemar Arena, a historic addition to Edina's rich hockey history.
A 4-0 victory against Blaine in the Class 2A state championship game gave the lady Hornets their first state title in program history. Their triumph stands alongside the 13 championships won by the boys' hockey programs of Edina and Edina East.
No. 1 seed Edina (28-1-1) completed its dream season Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul thanks to depth, tenacity and talent.
"It seems like a dream," first year Edina coach Sami Reber said. "This program has just wanted it for so long. I couldn't be more proud of this group of girls. They came ready to work every single day for this goal. They came ready to make it a reality. And when we do get to hang that banner it'll be a day I know I'll never forget."
Reber, a 2011 Edina graduate, made additional history as the first female head coach to win a Class 2A girls' hockey state title. She called the distinction "an extreme honor."
No. 2 seed Blaine (24-4-2) built its success on the energy of scoring goals. But Edina occupied all the power outlets Saturday. The Hornets' second line of Lolita Fidler, Olivia Kilberg and Sophie Slattery provided eight of the Hornets' 12 tournament goals.
They were locked in against Blaine early and often. Fidler put Edina ahead just 59 seconds into the game, tipping an Eva Hendrickson shot and sending the puck through the five-hole of Blaine goalie Jaela O'Brien.
Kilberg struck in similar fashion, redirecting a great feed from Evelyn Adams at 14:42 of the first period for a 2-0 Hornets' lead.
Fidler and Kilberg co-authored a 3-0 lead at 7:12 of the second period. Filder's initial shot created a rebound chance for Kilberg. And when Fidler got the puck back with a clear shooting lane, she didn't hesitate.
Fidler scored her 24th goal of the season and fourth of the state tournament. She finished with the game-winning goal in all three games.
"I had no unassisted goals so it was a team effort," said Fidler, a junior who committed to Harvard.
Five of Edina's six forwards on the top two lines are Division-I bound and they put Blaine on notice.
"They are a great team and they played like it tonight," said Blaine senior defenseman Emily Brown, who is committed to the Gophers. "They forechecked us hard all night and we couldn't get anything going."
Edina's defense, which allowed just one goal in five playoff games, also impressed. Blaine entered Saturday averaging 5.5 goals per game in the postseason and had not been shutout all season.
For Edina goalie Anna Goldstein, it was her second consecutive shutout.
"We've been so good offensively that we never think we're out of it," Blaine coach Steve Guider said. "But their defense was outstanding. They didn't give us any room. That is without question the best team we've played."
