MINNETONKA, Minn. – The Aberdeen Cougars had a bit of a different look, but finished with the usual results on Sunday. The Cougars scored three unanswered goals in the second period to fuel a 5-3 girls’ hockey win over the Minnetonka Stars.

Aberdeen set the tone in the opening period on a goal by Kailyn Poppen.

“It’s good to go into postseason on a positive,” said Aberdeen coach Rob Weinmeister. “We were dealing with some illnesses so moved a few pieces around today and girls came out and played well, especially in the first.”

After the hosts tied the score, the Cougars found the back of the net three times the remainder of the second period to take control. Addyson Keller sandwiched a pair scores around a goal from Raniesa Mattke.

The Stars inched back into the game and trailed by just one when they pulled their goalie in an attempt to get the equalizer. Mattke iced the victory with an empty-net goal in the closing seconds.

Keller added an assist to go along with her two goals, while Morgan Jones finished with a pair of assists.

“Quite a few good things to take away from today,” Weinmeister said. “Now we build on them this week in practice so we can go into the state tournament ready to put three solid games together in three consecutive days.”

The Cougars, 11-2-0-1 in league and 16-6-2-1 overall, head into the tourney as the second seed and will face Sioux Center in the opening round at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Watertown.

Minnetonka Stars 0 1 2 – 3

Aberdeen Cougars 1 3 1 – 5

First Period: 1, AC, Kailyn Poppen (unassisted), 11:52.

Second Period: 2, MS, Callahan Isaacson (Cynthia Lyman), 14:13; 3, AC, Addyson Keller (Rachel Siefken, Morgan Jones), 9:03; 4, AC, Raniesa Mattke (Keller, Aylssa Roehrich), 3:07; 5, AC, Keller (Madeline Sandvig, Jones), 2:36.

Third Period: 6, MS, Amanda Cronin (Isaacson, Herbert), 14:23; 7, MS, Cronin (Zoe Hall), 10:27; 8, AC, Mattke (empty-netter), :08.

Shots on Goal: Minnetonka Stars 27; Aberdeen Cougars 32.

Goalies: Minnesota Stars, (27 saves); Aberdeen Cougars, Chloe Vikander (24 saves)