After upset last season, Gophers seniors aching for third title

The healing began over pizza and ice cream and cake.

After winning back-to-back NCAA women's hockey titles, the Gophers had finally proven human with a 5-4 loss to Clarkson in last year's title game.

At first, the Gophers felt numb.

"An hour later, we were celebrating with parents and families at a restaurant, just talking about what an incredible year it was," coach Brad Frost said. "And quite frankly, we ate our feelings away. We had lots of greasy food and lots of dessert."

Two weeks after that humbling day in Hamden, Conn., the returning players were busy sweating through spring conditioning drills. The Gophers can reclaim the trophy Sunday, when they meet Harvard in the NCAA championship game at Ridder Arena.

For co-captains Rachael Bona and Rachel Ramsey and the two other seniors, this will be their fourth consecutive NCAA title game. The Gophers advanced with a 3-1 semifinal win over Wisconsin on Friday.

"After we won," Bona said, "Ramsey and I were just like, 'We are not losing this [title game]. We know what it feels like to lose. We are not losing this one.' "

Harvard (27-5-3) won't be a pushover. The Crimson have never won an NCAA title, but they are a three-time runner-up, including championship game losses to the Gophers in 2004 and 2005.

Harvard lost 10-2 to Boston College in November but rebounded to beat their cross-town rivals twice, including Friday's 2-1 win in the semifinals. Goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer and a talented defense have combined to allow just 17 goals in their past 18 games.

"[The Gophers] have weapons all over the ice," Harvard coach Katey Stone said. "They're a very balanced team. I anticipate it's going to be a great hockey game."

The Clarkson loss didn't send Frost back to the drawing board. Little changed. If anything, the runner-up finish fortified his belief that what the Gophers are doing is right.

Taking a page from John Wooden, Frost is a firm believer in focusing on the process and not wins and losses. Now in his eighth season as Gophers coach, he went four years without reaching the NCAA title game before reeling off this stretch of four in a row.

"Success isn't whether you win or lose your last game," Frost said.

It took him a while to realize that himself. Five years ago, he and associate head coach Joel Johnson established four core values for the program. Instead of obsessing about NCAA titles, they want their players focused on becoming tough, grateful, disciplined and devoted.

"The first year we did it, it was just words on the wall," Frost said. "There are times now when we will win, and I'll say, 'The win is one thing, but I'm really disappointed in our toughness here tonight. I'm really disappointed in our discipline.

" 'You know what devotion is guys? It's when we're up 6-1, and Rachel Ramsey goes down and blocks a shot and almost breaks her wrist. That's devotion.' "

Frost thought last year's seniors epitomized those values, even after the Clarkson loss. That same group had been part of an NCAA record 62-game winning streak.

"It's easy after you win to say, 'Oh yeah, we're fulfilling those values. We're being tough, we're being grateful and those types of things,' " Frost said. "But when you lose, it's a lot harder to do that."

Clarkson had never won an NCAA title, but the Golden Knights had last year's national player of the year (Jamie Lee Rattray), as well as the top statistical goaltender (Erica Howe).

"It was a team that, if we had played them more times, we might have won 90 percent of those games," Ramsey said. "It's a defensive collapse to give up five goals, which I think makes us a better team now."

The Gophers thought they would have 2013 national player of the year Amanda Kessel back from the Olympics. But she had to sit out this season because of lingering concussion symptoms.

The team still has plenty of talent. Ramsey and Hannah Brandt were first-team All-America picks, and Lee Stecklein and Dani Cameranesi second team. The Gophers haven't been quite as dominant, but they're 33-3-4.

"This year is the first time, in my four years at least, there hasn't been as much pressure as there has been in the past," Ramsey said. "All four teams [in the Frozen Four] this year deserved to be here, and any of them could win. For us, it's about playing loose and fast and having fun."

If they win, that greasy postgame meal will taste even better.