After weeks of anticipation and build-up, the Edina Hornets finally hit the ice for the first Class AA game in the boys’ hockey state tournament. The Hornets took on the Lumberjacks from Bemidji, who had their first showing in the tournament in over 29 years. The Hornets, the number two seed, were favored to win over the unseeded Lumberjacks.

Senior Matt Masterman started things off right away with the first goal of the game, followed by two impressive scores by senior Parker Mismash and junior Garrett Wait. By the end the first period, the Hornets were in the lead 3-0.

The Lumberjacks didn’t waste any time during their second period power play. Bemidji’s Rocky Copiskey and Jake Leitner both scored less than 30 seconds apart. However, Edina’s Bram Scheerer gave the Hornets a rebound, bringing the score to 4-2 with 14 minutes left in the second period.

Masterman eventually scored his second goal of the game and 25th of the season in the second period, which ended with the Hornets leading 5-2 with a 24-10 shot advantage.

The third period started with power plays by both teams, leading to no score changes. Edina senior and 2015 Mr. Hockey finalist Dylan Malmquist left the ice after taking a hit in the back of the leg. Sophomore Ben Copeland took his place.

Things started to really heat up at the end of the third period when the Lumberjacks’ Jack Johnson scored past Edina’s Kobi Boe, bringing them up 5-3. It seemed the Lumberjacks were set on a comeback with just minutes left on the clock. With just 54 seconds left, Bemidji scored again.

However, junior Casey Dornbach showed what the Hornets are all about when he slid the puck in an empty net with just seconds left in the game, ending the game with a final score of 6-4.

The Hornets will continue their push for a back-to-back-to-back victory tomorrow night against Duluth East, who just took down Saint Thomas Academy, at 6:00 p.m.

It wasn’t what we were hoping for. After dreams of a third consecutive Minnesota Class AA boys’ hockey state championship had run through Edina High School hallways for almost a year, it all came to a deflating end with a 3-1 loss to Duluth East in the semifinals.

The EHS student section was quickly fired up after a first period goal from senior Patrick Haug. Even after Duluth East junior Luke Dow tied it up a few minutes later, Edina’s optimism remained.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as the Altmann brothers of Duluth East scored early in the second, and then in the third to go up by two. With seemingly all of the men, women, and children present in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center screaming with joy at every goal against Edina, it was a bitter end to a sweet attempt at three championship run.

As easy as it is to be upset, soon it will be just as easy to remember the better days at the Xcel. For outgoing seniors of Edina High School, don’t fret on last night, rather remember all the good times of getting out of school, watching the boys win (or even sometimes lose), and being able to proudly say you’re from Edina High School in the face of thousands of fans cheering against you.

To the players who made it all happen over the past few years, thank you for giving us all something to cheer for. In a competitive city like Edina, it is hard to find something everyone can agree on, but for one week a year, we all knew whose side we were on.

The Hornets take on Eden Prairie for third place tonight at 4:00 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center.