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ST. PAUL — Edina has won its fifth-ever Class AA state title, and its first since 2021, after shutting out Hill-Murray 2-0 on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Xcel Energy Center.

"Truly, the emotions are just like it was when we won our first one (Edina's first state title in 2017)," said Hornets head coach Sami Cowger.

"It has not been an easy road for us. That's the biggest difference between the first time we won and this time is that we had our ups and downs. There was a lot of what I like to call 'learning moments' along the way, but I could not be more proud of this team, they showed up and they bought in at the right time ... I am so proud of them, it feels like a dream right now."

The No. 4-seeded Hornets outshot the No. 2 Pioneers for almost the entirety of the championship game but didn't actually score their first goal until midway through the third period. Junior Whitney Horton lit the lamp for Edina on the power play as she received a between-the-legs pass from teammate Lorelai Nelson and hammered home a shot while wide open from the right circle.

"It actually had been five and a half periods since we had a power play at this tournament so I knew that these girls were chomping at the bit to get out there," said Cowger. "We practiced that hundreds of times, they knew exactly what to do. That play has been drawn up and executed multiple times before."

Nelson then scored The sophomore forward deked around two Hill-Murray defenders in the slot and then scored as she was falling to her knees to give the Hornets a two-goal lead.

Those two goals were all that Edina would need to secure their fifth state title, with their previous championship victories coming in 2017, 2018, 2019 and most recently in 2021.

"Props to Edina, they're a great team, incredibly well coached, disciplined and skilled, fast, strong, good goaltending, and they deserved to win for sure," said Hill-Murray head coach John Pohl after the game. "I'm incredibly proud of our girls, they battled incredibly hard. In full disclosure, I think we just kind of ran out of gas. It's a tough tournament to play three games in a row and we just didn't seem to have that push."

The Edina players said that the turning point for the team this season that made them think of the state championship as a real possibility came in early-December.

"Sammy (Cowger) made the decision to bring up three girls from our JV team and I genuinely think that they completely brought our team chemistry together," said senior defender Nora McConnell. "I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say that they're true locker room people and some of the best teammates I've ever had and I think that they fit in right away."

Junior goaltender Reese McConnell stopped each and every one of Hill-Murray's 15 shots on goal in the championship contest while Grace Zhan stopped 21 of 23 for the Pioneers.

1/24: Edina players skate the trophy over to show fans to celebrate their win over Hill-Murray 2-0 for the State Class AA title Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

2/24: Edina players skate the trophy over to show fans to celebrate their win over Hill-Murray 2-0 for the State Class AA title Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

3/24: Edina players celebrate their win over Hill-Murray 2-0 for the State Class AA title Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

4/24: Edina players come off the bench and head to their goal to celebrate their win over Hill-Murray 2-0 for the State Class AA title Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

5/24: Hill-Murray forward Jaycee Chatleain (22) passes in front of Edina forward Kayla Starr (5) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

6/24: Hill-Murray goaltender Grace Zhan (30) deflects a shot by Edina forward Lorelai Nelson (12) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

7/24: Hill-Murray forward Jaycee Chatleain (22) passes the puck past Edina forward Hannah Halverson (10) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

8/24: Hill-Murray goaltender Grace Zhan (30) stops a shot by Edina forward Hannah Halverson (10) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

9/24: Hill-Murray defender Addy McLay (4) makes a pass against Edina in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

10/24: Edina forward Lorelai Nelson (12) and Hill-Murray forward Chloe Boreen (18) get tangled chasing the puck in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

11/24: Edina defender Camille Dubuc (11) and Hill-Murray forward Ella Hornung (11) collide chasing the puck in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

12/24: Hill-Murray defender Elli Petronack (3) stops the puck against Edina in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

13/24: Hill-Murray forward Chloe Boreen (18) makes a pass in front of Edina defender Brenna Prellwitz (17) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

14/24: Hill-Murray defender Josie Skoogman (6) looks to pass around Edina forward Hannah Halverson (10) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

15/24: Hill-Murray forward Emily Pohl (27) reaches for the puck while caught in a battle against Edina in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

16/24: Hill-Murray forward Sophie Olson (10) takes a shot at the Edina goalin the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

17/24: Hill-Murray forward Emily Pohl (27) skates toward the Edina goal in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

18/24: Hill-Murray forward Chloe Boreen (18) makes a pass against Edina in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

19/24: Edina forward Kaylee Idrogo-Lam (21) comes away with the puck after a battle with Hill-Murray defender Olivia Braunshausen (14) in the second period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

20/24: Hill-Murray goaltender Grace Zhan (30) is introduced before the start of her game against Edina Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

21/24: Edina forward Lorelai Nelson (12) lets out a scream to celebrate her goal against Hill-Murray in the third period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

22/24: Edina forward Lorelai Nelson (12) puts the puck in behind Hill-Murray goaltender Grace Zhan (30) to make the score 2-0 in the third period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

23/24: Edina forward Lorelai Nelson (12) skates with the puck against Hill-Murray in the third period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

24/24: Edina forward Whitney Horton (15) fires the puck over the shoulder of Hill-Murray goaltender Grace Zhan (30) in the third period Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jason Wachter / The Rink Live

EDINA 2, HILL-MURRAY 0

HM: 0-0-0—0
EDNA: 0-0-2—2

First period scoring — None.
Penalties — EDNA, Brenna Prellwitz (tripping) 1:53

Second period scoring — None.
Penalties — HM, Regan Berglund (slashing) 7:24

Third period scoring — 1. EDNA, Whitney Horton (Lorelai Nelson, Hannah Halverson) 9:16 (pp); 2. EDNA, Nelson (unassisted) 12:18
Penalties — None.

Goalie saves: HM, Grace Zhan 10-8-3—21 (2GA); EDNA, Reese McConnell 7-5-3—15 (0GA)
Shots on goal: HM, 7-5-3—15; EDNA, 10-8-6—23

Penalties-minutes: HM, 1-2; EDNA, 1-2
Power-play goals, opportunities: HM, 0-1; EDNA, 1-1