The No. 5-ranked Eden Prairie girls’ hockey team beat Bloomington Jefferson 2-1 Thursday night at Bloomington Ice Garden in non-conference play, outshooting the home team 41 to 22. Despite the huge advantage in shots on goal, the Eagles had to hang on in the final minutes to preserve the win.

University of Minnesota Duluth commit Naomi Rogge pumped in a top shelf shot on the power play early in the third period to lift the Eagles to the win. The junior winger took a feed from Penn State commit Kate Rydland in the slot and hammered it home.

“Some shooters play to a goalie’s weakness. I try to shoot for an opening. I found one and just shot it,” said Rogge.

The teams traded goals in the first two periods. The Eagles struck first when Rachel Werdin’s shot hit traffic in front and beat Jefferson freshman goalie Mara McClain over her shoulder. Lauren Oberle was credited with the goal. McClain then stopped 32 consecutive shots including several second and third chance tries by the Eagles to keep the Jags in the game.  

“She’s very good for a young goalie,” said Eden Prairie Head Coach Jamie Grossman. “She did a great job of making every first save tonight.”

Late in the second, another freshman for the Jags, Bailey Burton, tied the score for Jefferson. She scooted through the neutral zone untouched and blasted a wrist shot past Eden Prairie sophomore Alexa Dobchuk to make the score 1-1 heading into the second intermission. 

After Rogge gave the Eagles the lead, they settled down and took control of the game for much of the third period, peppering McClain with 11 shots on goal. Late in the game with the result still in the balance, Jefferson pulled McClain for an extra attacker and sustained some good pressure all the way through to the buzzer. The Eagles left Bloomington with the victory, but the Jaguars also left knowing that their team has a bright season ahead of them.

Next Up: The Eagles will play their third game in seven days when they take on Class A No. 1 ranked Blake on Saturday night on the road. Jefferson will travel South to take on No. 14 Dodge County in Kasson.