Sports
Ramsey Helps Lead Minnetonka To State Girls Hockey Semifinals
After blanking Elk River, 3-0, in their first-ever state tournament game, the Skippers will play at 8 p.m. Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Elk River-Zimmerman coach Joe Heasley perhaps put it best when describing Minnetonka after Thursday’s defeat in the Class AA state girls hockey quarterfinal.
What makes the Skippers so good?
“Everything,” Heasley said. “Offensively, defensively, neutral zone, goaltender. They’re solid up and down.”
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Minnetonka showed it Thursday in a 3-0 win over the Elks at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. They’ll play the winner of Coon Rapids and North Wright County on Friday at 8 p.m.
It was the 14th game this season in which the Skippers (27-1-1) shut out an opponent, and throughout the contest they proved why they are the top seed in this year’s Class AA state tournament.
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Meticulously weaving its team speed into its offensive and defensive game plan, Minnetonka allowed just 11 shots on goal in the game while leaning on defenseman Rachel Ramsey for much of its offensive production. Ramsey scored two second period goals, helping extend the Skippers lead after Laura Bowman notched a power-play goal in the first period to put Minnetonka up 1-0.
She put 12 shots on goal in the contest, and her pair of scores brings her season total to 17 on the year.
“She has vision,” Minnetonka coach Eric Johnson said of Ramsey. “She’s like a quarterback—she can see up ice, and she can also run the ball. She’s got skills, and she’s got a great shot as you can see.”
Defensively, Minnetonka simply played the same style that helped them rack up 27 wins this season.
The Skippers focused on Elks junior Jonna Curtis all night, and despite her efforts to weave to the net Curtis couldn’t get on the scoreboard. Curtis, who scored 47 goals and added 24 assists this year, had three shots on goal in the game.
Ramsey said the Skippers are simply on a mission for a state title, and their play reflects that attitude.
“We came out ready to play,” Ramsey said. “We are trying to remove all the distractions. ... We’re trying to do everything possible to put our best foot forward.”
GAME SUMMARY
ER/Z 0 0 0 — 0
Minnetonka 1 2 0 — 3
Scoring — First period: 12:14 MINN Laura Bowman (Sidney Morin, Amy Petersen) PPG. Second period: 5:41 MINN Rachel Ramsey (Paige Baldwin, Bowman), 14:30 MINN Ramsey (Kira von Steinbergs, Hadley Cookson). Third period: No scoring. Shots on goal — ER/Z 11, MINN 33. Power plays — ER/Z 0-3, MINN 1-3. Saves — ER/Z Victoria Herrmann 30, MINN Julie Friend 11.
