DULUTH, Minn. – You can’t win them all.
The Minnesota women’s hockey team defeated Wisconsin 4-2 in the NCAA Division I championship game Sunday afternoon, denying the Badgers their fifth title.
The Badgers found themselves trailing early, but fought back to tie the game at two before Minnesota regained control of the game.
Minnesota scored its third goal late in the first period off an Emily West penalty shot and relied on tough defense and lock-down goaltending the rest of the way.
In the later periods, Wisconsin could not find a way to phase UM goalie Noora Raty. Despite giving up two goals in the first period, Raty recorded 42 saves, making game-saving blocks throughout the afternoon.
As the nation’s top defense this season, Raty and the Minnesota defensemen slowed down Patty Kazmaier winner Brianna Decker and the rest of UW’s top forwards.
Senior forward Hilary Knight and the Badgers’ put 44 shots on goal – 19 more than the Gophers – but only managed to score twice.
Afterward, Knight stressed the importance of not getting frustrated by tough defense and goaltending.
“You just have to stay positive,” Knight said. “When you’re working hard the bounces are going to come, at least when you’re in the moment, you think they are and you’re going to capitalize on them.”
Despite a disappointing end to another stellar season, Wisconsin players and coaches were proud of the team’s resiliency – especially during the first period comeback.
Head coach Mark Johnson liked his team’s effort, but said a few missed opportunities left his team on the losing end.
“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Johnson said, who has won four titles with the Badgers.
Knight – Wisconsin’s all-time leading goal scorer – did not end her career at Wisconsin the way she had imagined, but she remained proud of her team.
“We can walk out of here knowing that we fought valiantly,” Knight said. “And I’m so proud of everyone sitting to the right and left of me in the locker room and just being a part of something so great and so special.”
Wisconsin got off to a rough start, giving up two goals early in the first period.
Minnesota forward Amanda Kessel opened the game’s scoring. Coming off a center ice faceoff, the speedy sophomore faked out UW goaltender Alex Rigsby before finding the right side of the net.
Minnesota continued its hot start thanks to a Sarah Erickson’s deep one-timer goal, further setting the tone for the Gophers play early.
The high-paced, intense first period quickly turned in Wisconsin’s favor after it responded with two goals of its own.
UW junior defenseman Stefanie McKeough struck first, capitalizing on the Badgers’ first power play of the game. McKeough scored on a deep wrist shot with just two seconds remaining on the power play.
Less than two minutes later, UW forward Brooke Ammerman tapped in a short goal off a rebound to even the score at two.
But Minnesota again swung the momentum in its favor once and for all after West’s penalty shot goal.
The rest of the game featured the tough defense and goaltending of Minnesota. The only other goal of the game came from Erickson once again early in the third period, making a Wisconsin comeback extremely difficult.
It is a disappointing end for a Badger squad that ranked No. 1 nationally for all but one week of the year. Wisconsin finished the regular season as WCHA champions as well, but Minnesota earned the season’s most important victory.
Despite the disappointment, Knight could not have been more proud of the way Wisconsin played.
“Not once in that game did we ever give up, and I think that’s the important thing that we can take away from here,” Knight said. “Again, at the end of the day it is a loss and it hurts, but we had a great season and I’m proud to be a part of such a great group.”
