DULUTH - Jinnelle Zaugg's power-play goal midway through the third period broke a 3-3 tie as Wisconsin outlasted the Gophers women's hockey team 4-3 in the WCHA tournament semifinals on Saturday at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
Wisconsin will play Minnesota Duluth in today's championship game, with the winner earning the conference's automatic bid for the NCAA tournament. The Gophers (27-6-4) will have to hope for an at-large bid when the eight-team field is announced today. This is the first time in seven years they will not be playing in the WCHA championship game.
The Gophers have lost two times in their past 26 games, and both times it has been to the Badgers. They were 1-2-1 against Wisconsin in the regular season.
After Gigi Marvin scored with 5:53 remaining in the first to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead, Zaugg tied the game 2 1/2 minutes later.
Erika Lawler scored two goals in the second period to give the Badgers a 3-1 lead before Marvin scored again, with 1:05 remaining in the second period, to pull the Gophers within 3-2.
The Gophers tied the score on a goal by Jen Schullis with 13:18 remaining.
The Gophers, who outshot the Badgers 28-21, pulled their goalie with 58 seconds remaining but couldn't force overtime.
Minnesota Duluth 9, St. Cloud State 0: Elin Holmlov and Haley Irwin both scored two goals in the top-seeded Bulldogs' victory. Minnesota Duluth, which outshot the Huskies 48-31, scored four times in both the second and third periods. Jocelyne Larocque and Myriam Trepanier each had three assists.
