White Bear Lake girls hockey coach Jerry Kwapick sensed trouble coming.
The Bears led Stillwater 2-0 in the third period of the Class 4A-Section 4 semifinals, but the Ponies generating a Grade A chance to get back into the game. A Stillwater player got the puck in the corner, then found an open teammate in the slot for a great look at a goal. It should have been a goal, anyway.
But White Bear Lake has Calla Frank.
Frank, the Bears’ goalie, was hugging the pipe with the puck in the corner, then she slid across the crease as the pass went to the center and cleanly picked the shot with a beautiful glove save, leaving nearly everyone in the arena in disbelief.
“Our assistant coach goes, ‘Did she get that?’ ” Kwapick recalled. “(Former Roseville athletic director) Jeff Whisler after the period said, ‘Jerry, I have never seen a goalie make a save like that.’ I said, ‘That’s not the first.’ ”
No, Kwapick has gotten used to watching his sensational goalie break the hearts of opposing goal scorers throughout her career, particularly this season, particularly during this magical postseason run.
White Bear Lake (13-12-3) will make its first state tournament appearance since 2002 at 1 p.m. Thursday, when it battles third-seeded Brainerd (23-4-1) in a Class 2A quarterfinal match at Xcel Energy Center. It will do so largely thanks to its goaltender.
Frank, the 2019 Pioneer Press East Metro girls hockey player of the year, has stopped a staggering 97 percent of the shots she’s faced this season, and didn’t give up a single goal in the section tournament. Three games, three shutouts.
“I told myself if they can’t score, they can’t win,” Frank said. “So that was my motto the entire sections, and I just thought that every time and I willed myself to get every puck. It ended up working out, I guess.”
Kwapick asked his players what their goals were a few weeks ago. Frank’s was simple: Beat Hill-Murray. There was only one problem — the Pioneers edged White Bear Lake early in the regular season, and weren’t on the Bears’ schedule a second time. If Frank was to beat Hill-Murray, she would have to earn the opportunity first.
She sure did. Frank stopped 28 shot in a 4-0 victory over North St. Paul/Tartan in the section quarterfinals, then 37 more in a semifinal win over Stillwater. That set up Frank’s shot to beat Hill-Murray.
“It’s always my goal to beat Hill-Murray,” Frank said. “This summer I actually chose a goal and it was to shut out Hill-Murray. I was, like, alright, so this is my chance.”
Beating the Pioneers is no easy task. Hill-Murray’s roster is laced with collegiate talent. The Pioneers had advanced to six straight state tournaments. Beating them would take a Herculean effort. That’s what Frank delivered.
She stopped 50 shots to power White Bear Lake to a 2-0 victory.
“That will always be a highlight,” Frank said. “I’ll always remember that.”
Frank was part of the U-18 national team that won a gold medal in the 2018 World Championships in Russia. She played in one game in the tournament, which helped teach her how to be an even teammate. The championship-winning experience also put her on a mission to experience similar levels of success with White Bear Lake.
Kwapick said the Bears decided to stack their defense this season. They moved Gophers commit Sydney Shearen back to the blue line to reinforce their defensive corps along with Lauren MacLean and Abby DeLaRosa, among others.
The Bears could allow shots, but the goal was to limit them to the outside. There were struggles — White Bear Lake went 1-4-1 over its final six regular-season games and entered the postseason with a losing record, but Kwapick saw his team figure things out down the stretch. He says he would put his defensive core up against any team in the state, but his goalie is still the straw that stirs the drink. Frank has faced 1,002 shots this season, and stopped nearly all of them.
“Calla will give us the opportunity to win every game, regardless of the competition,” he said. “She’s that good.”
That’s a heck of a weapon to have in your holster at this time of year. Frank is a Minnesota State Mankato commit, a Senior Goalie of the Year finalist and the ultimate X factor entering this week’s state tournament. If no one can score on White Bear Lake, the Bears can’t lose. Three more Frank shutouts would give White Bear Lake its first state title.
“Everybody keeps saying, ‘Hey, three more, you’re halfway there,’ ” Frank said. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, alright, I guess we’ll shoot for that.’ We’ll see what happens.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Kwapick said. “Three is a big stretch. One or two? Yeah. She’s in a groove right now.”
FINALISTS >
Haylee Blinkhorn, senior forward, Hill-Murray: Boston commit recorded 46 points as part of the Pioneers’ high-powered offense.
Claire Enright, freshman forward, Farmington: Gophers commit netted a hat trick in the Class 2A-Section 1 final, capped by the game-winner in the second overtime.
Rachel Golnitz, sophomore defenseman, Forest Lake: Colgate commit had 15 goals and 15 assists for the Suburban East Conference champs.
Katie Kaufman, senior forward, Hill-Murray: Merrimack commit tallied 30 goals for the Pioneers this season.
Addi Scribner, senior defenseman, East Ridge: Ohio State commit has 35 points while leading the Raptors to their first state tournament appearance.
