The NCAA women’s ice hockey Frozen Four semifinal took place between Wisconsin and Minnesota in Duluth. Wisconsin scored a 3-2 overtime win over Minnesota to advance to the national championship game on Sunday. Caroline Harvey scored the game-winning goal to send Wisconsin into the championship game, with Sophie Shirley and Lacey Edwards also scoring for the Badgers. Wisconsin goaltender Cami Kronish made 37 saves to help secure the win. Taylor Heise and Madeline Wethington scored for Minnesota, while goaltender Skylar Vetter made 35 saves in a losing effort. Wisconsin’s win marks their fourth trip to the national championship game in the past six years.
Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Team Advances to NCAA Championship Game after Caroline Harvey’s Overtime Goal
The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team is headed to the NCAA championship game after defeating archrival Minnesota 3-2 at Amsoil Arena. Freshman Caroline Harvey scored the game-winning goal on a wrist shot 16 minutes and 47 seconds into overtime, her 14th shot on goal of the game.
The Badgers (28-10-2) had to overcome a third-period deficit and a late tying goal by Minnesota to reach the championship game. Laila Edwards and Sophie Shirley scored two quick goals in 53 seconds to give Wisconsin a 2-1 lead, but Minnesota tied the game with just 71 seconds left in regulation.
It was a historic win for the Badgers, as it was the first time in four tries that they defeated the Gophers in an NCAA semifinal. Wisconsin improved to 5-4 all-time against the Gophers (30-6-3) in the NCAA Tournament.
Harvey, who was named a second-team All-American on Thursday, had 11 of UW’s second-period shot attempts and eight of its 17 shots on goal. She played an integral role in Wisconsin’s victory, persistently peppering Minnesota’s goal with shots throughout the game.
Despite absorbing a late-game gut punch from Minnesota, the Badgers recovered and will face defending national champion Ohio State in Sunday’s championship game. Wisconsin players celebrated their victory on Friday, showing grit and determination in their quest for the NCAA title.
Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Team Advances to NCAA Championship Game after Winning in Overtime
The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team is headed to the NCAA championship game after defeating Minnesota 3-2 in an intense semifinal game. Wisconsin’s victory was secured by a clutch goal from Caroline Harvey, who scored the game-winner in overtime.
The Badgers had to kill an interference penalty to Vivian Jungels and later relied on big saves from goalie Cami Kronish to maintain the lead. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to close out the game in regulation, and the teams headed to overtime for the third time this season.
In overtime, Wisconsin had a few close calls but finally sealed the win on a wrist shot by Harvey, who had an impressive 14 shots on goal during the game. This was a historic victory for Wisconsin, as they defeated archrival Minnesota for the first time in an NCAA semifinal game.
Tough Game for Both Teams
Both teams put on a strong showing, with Minnesota scoring first just 3:23 into the game. Wisconsin struggled to get going in the first period, but they gained momentum in the second period with a dominant performance. They outshot the Gophers 17-7 in the middle 20 minutes, but Minnesota’s goalie Skylar Vetter kept them off the scoreboard.
Wisconsin had a power play earlier in the period, but it nearly turned to disaster when Lacey Eden gave away the puck at the top of the zone and Taylor Heise went in on a breakaway. However, Kronish made a clutch save, aided by a tripping penalty called on Nicole LaMantia.
“I didn’t expect this to be an easy game,” said Kronish, who made 37 saves. “Minnesota’s a really skilled team, and we’ve had a lot of good battles with them this year.”
Wisconsin’s Strong Performance
Despite a slow start, the Badgers maintained their composure and eventually found their rhythm. They got the puck around Minnesota’s net often in the middle frame and had Vetter out of position but couldn’t draw even.
“I thought we were going to get one for so long,” Harvey said.
Coach Mark Johnson urged his players midway through the first period to move their feet and get the puck in the offensive zone. “We’ve got to try to create some opportunities. … In that latter part of the first period, we started to do some things better and then we built off that.”
Looking Ahead
Wisconsin’s gritty performance against Minnesota sets the stage for what is sure to be an exciting championship game against defending national champion Ohio State. The Badgers will need to bring their A-game to have a chance at winning the championship.
For now, they can celebrate their hard-fought victory and take pride in knowing that they have what it takes to compete at the highest level of college hockey.
The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team won the semifinal game against the archrival Minnesota in a thrilling overtime match held on Friday, March 17, 2023, at Amsoil Arena. The final score was 3-2 in favor of Wisconsin.
The game was a fitting installment of the Border Battle and included numerous twists and turns. The Badgers overcame a third-period deficit and a late-tying goal by Minnesota. The big goal at the end of the game for Wisconsin came from freshman Caroline Harvey, who had many chances earlier in the game. Harvey scored on a wrist shot at 16 minutes and 47 seconds into overtime.
Despite being pushed to overtime, the Badgers dominated the second period with a 17-7 advantage in shots. However, they couldn’t get the puck over the goal line, and Minnesota took the lead early in the game, just 3 minutes and 23 seconds in when Taylor Heise scored. The Badgers got the puck around Minnesota’s net often in the middle frame and had goaltender Skylar Vetter out of position but couldn’t draw even.
Wisconsin’s Laila Edwards helped spark the team’s offense after a slumbering start, taking a faceoff win to the net and wrapping the puck around Gophers goalie Vetter. Maddi Wheeler led UW on a 2-on-1 rush up the left side on the next shift and delivered a perfect pass across to Sophie Shirley for the putaway. The Badgers rallied with two goals in 53 seconds to take the lead.
In the final seconds of the third period, the Badgers absorbed a kick in the gut with a tying goal from Madeline Wethington, but they recovered from that setback in overtime. The Badgers had to kill an interference penalty to Vivian Jungels and later got point-blank saves by Kronish on Taylor Heise, Savannah Norcross, and Madison Kaiser to maintain the lead.
The game was a mental preparation for Wisconsin’s team, which has grown stronger and has developed the ability to overcome difficulties. Kronish made 37 saves and was critical to the Badgers’ success in the game. It was the first time in four tries that the Badgers have defeated the Gophers in an NCAA semifinal, and it came after the Badgers had lost semifinals to Minnesota in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Wisconsin will now play defending national champion Ohio State in Sunday’s championship game.
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