Holy Family rallied in the third period behind two goals from Maddy Kimbrel to secure a 3–2 victory

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey

Two of the top teams in Class AA faced off Thursday night in a clash between the Edina Hornets (#3) and Holy Family Fire (#4) at Braemar Ice Arena. The contest was a rematch of last year’s State Championship semifinal, where Edina knocked off the Fire 1-0 en route to another finals appearance.

The game started much like that semifinal, with Edina carrying play early. While the Hornets generated plenty of shots, the Fire did a solid job limiting high-danger chances. Whenever Edina did break through, Holy Family’s standout goaltender Kayla Swartout stood tall to keep it scoreless.

Late in the first, a scary moment occurred when Holy Family’s Ella Nonweiler appeared to suffer an injury after contact along the boards. She did not return.

The play led to a five-minute power play for the Fire, and they capitalized on it. First-year player Audrey Nichols scored on a backhand, assisted by Maddy Kimbrel and Allie DeFauw. The tally continued Nichols’ scorching start to her Holy Family career, giving her three goals in her first two games.

Holy Family’s lead didn’t last long, however. One minute into the second period, Edina’s Audrey Davis scored a shorthanded goal on a shot that trickled in after it initially appeared to be saved by Swartout. The major penalty ended with the score tied 1-1.

Minutes later, the Hornets went to the power play on an elbowing minor called on Holy Family’s Tatum Elvin. Edina cashed in, with defender Libby Moe ripping home a shot that put the Hornets in the driver’s seat. They continued to control play the rest of the period, carrying a 2-1 lead and 21-13 shot advantage into the second intermission.

Holy Family tied the game three minutes into the third on a goal from newcomer Maddie Kimbrel, who starred at Orono for four seasons and entered the year as an early Ms. Hockey contender.

The Wisconsin commit has wasted no time settling in with the Fire. The third-period goal marked her sixth point in her first two games. 

While her scoring stood out again, Holy Family head coach Randy Koeppl emphasized her broader impact.

“Kimbrel has already meant a ton to the program. It’s easy to look at the scoresheet, but it goes beyond that,” Koeppl said. “We’ve only had a couple of kids come through here with her work ethic, and it’s contagious for the program. It’s great for our younger kids to see that, and for our older ones too. She’s a phenomenal person as well as a hockey player.”

Edina had a crucial chance to regain the lead minutes later on a power play, but couldn’t convert.

Kimbrel’s scoring rampage continued shortly after the Fire’s successful kill when she tallied her seventh goal of the season at even strength, with Taryn Richter picking up her second assist of the night.

Edina pushed for the equalizer, but Holy Family’s defensive structure held strong. Koeppl praised both his team’s composure and the Hornets’ attack.

“I loved our work ethic in the third period tonight, and I really liked our defensive-zone coverage once we settled down,” Koeppl said. “Edina is such a good team that if you run around, they take advantage. We didn’t give up many grade-A chances, and when we did, Kayla Swartout was there to make a few incredible saves.”

Despite Edina’s late pressure, Holy Family held on for a 3-2 win in a matchup between two of the state’s best. While the Fire secured the victory, the Hornets played a strong game and appeared in control after the second period.

Koeppl said an intermission challenge fueled the comeback.

“We had a second period where we were nowhere near the team we wanted to be. We challenged the kids in between the second and third period to come out and play hard, and they responded,” Koeppl said. “I think they’ve built confidence in themselves and the type of potential they have as a group.”

The win serves as a significant test passed for Holy Family early in their season. The Fire will continue a difficult stretch with upcoming matchups against Class A powerhouses Holy Angels and Warroad.

Edina will look to regroup against Proctor/Hermantown this weekend. Even at 1-1, the Hornets showed State-Tournament-level quality and remain one of the top teams in Minnesota.

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