Bode McConnell couldn’t have gotten Edina off to a better start Thursday night.
The junior forward scored three times for a first-period hat trick as the third-seeded Hornets built a lead they would not relinquish in beating surprising No. 6 seed Andover 3-1 in the final Class 2A state quarterfinal of the day at Grand Casino Arena.
The victory sets up a semifinal clash with defending state champion Moorhead in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday. The Spuds – the tournament’s No. 2 seed – defeated No. 7 seed Lakeville South 4-1 Thursday.
Edina and Moorhead also met to decide the Class 6A state football championship this past fall – a game the Hornets won 42-35.
Edina senior goalie Chase Bjorgaard – who had 25 saves Thursday – rushed for 320 yards and four touchdowns while adding two touchdown catches in that victory.
The two teams also met in the Class 2A hockey semifinals last season, a game Moorhead won 4-3.
Sophomore forward Jack Rykkeli scored for the Huskies (11-15-3) – the No. 5 seed in the Section 5-2A playoff field – to cut the gap to two in the second period.
But Edina (22-6-1) let them get no closer than that. The Hornets piled up 48 shots-on-goal while holding Andover to just 26.
Huskies sophomore goalie Wyatt Riemer finished with 45 saves.
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