Edina coach Curt Giles sensed a transformation in junior goaltender Connor Girard late in the season.
The shift led Giles to lean on Girard during the playoffs after two goaltenders split time during the season.
Girard is now rewarding his coach's faith in him.
Girard made 18 saves to propel Edina to a 2-0 victory against Apple Valley in the first Class 2A semifinal.
"We saw Connor growing confidence in the last few weeks of the season," Giles said. "As we saw tonight, if you get good goaltending pretty much anything can happen for you."
Edina's Blake Chapman opened the scoring midway through the first period Friday. Charlie Taft added a short-handed tally in the second period for the Hornets, who are going for a record-tying seventh state championship.
Edina will face top-seeded Minnetonka in Saturday's title game after the Skippers beat Hill-Murray 2-1 in the fourth overtime of the second semifinal.
Girard and senior John Ankeny split goal time during the season, with each netminder appearing in 14 games entering the state tournament. Girard drew the assignment in the playoffs.
"When we've got a goaltender that's got confidence, he's working hard and he competes, that's the way you're going to go," Giles said.
Girard's confidence showed when he made a sprawling save in the second period.
With Edina holding a 1-0 advantage, Apple Valley broke through for a 2-on-1. Hudson Fasching slipped the puck across to A.J. Michaelson, but Girard slid across the crease and snagged Michaelson's shot headed for the open net.
"At the last second I came out to cut off the angle," Girard said. "I was able to follow the pass pretty well. It kind of went off the stick. He didn't get all of it and I saw it all the way into my glove."
While the puck fluttered off Michaelson's stick, Apple Valley coach Jerry Hayes gave full credit to Girard.
In a close game, the save kept momentum on the Hornets' side.
"High school hockey players are emotional guys and they ride the good waves and get swallowed up by bad waves," Hayes said. "That 2-on-1 and the shot and just the save the kid makes. That's a heck of a save and a heck of a play right there. We were starting to feel good about how we were starting to play and that would have been a nice little boost for our team."
Edina's suffocating defense held Apple Valley to just three shots in the first period. The Eagles were unable to generate quality scoring chances until late in the second period.
Second-seeded Edina outshot Apple Valley 37-18.
Aaron Gretz made 35 saves for the Eagles.
