Brainerd/Little Falls Girls Hockey Better Prepared For Their Second Trip To State

For the second year in a row, the Brainerd/Little Falls girls hockey team is headed to the Excel Energy Center for the state tournament. Last year, the Warriors were bounced in the first round at state, but Brainerd/Little Falls should be better prepared this time around.

Last year, Brainerd/Little Falls was just happy to play under the bright lights at the state tournament, but this season, the Warriors are hungry for a title.

“The girls probably did feel as if they were just happy to be there, so you have to flip the script and say that’s not good enough this year,” Jim Ernster, Brainerd/Little Falls Head Coach, said. “We need to go down there and compete, we need to be who we are. We need to start off with a goal of winning three games, but it does start with that first one.”

In round one, the three seeded Warriors will be up against White Bear Lake, whose goalie had a 50 save shutout in the Section Four finals.

“We have to make sure we are taking away her eyes, we have to make sure we have good net front presence, and we’re getting ugly goals,” Ernster said. “They might not be tape-to-tape, tic-tac-toe plays, but they are going to be rebound goals, and we have to make sure we bury those chances when we have them.

The Warriors had a much tougher schedule this season, and they are ready to turn some heads in St. Paul.

“In the Edina Tournament, I think that we showed that we are a top team, and I think that people will be a little bit surprised,” Olivia King, Brainerd/Little Falls Senior Goaltender, said.

The puck is scheduled to drop from the Excel Energy Center at 1 p.m. between Brainerd/Little Falls and White Bear Lake on Thursday, February 21st.