Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Wisconsin goaltender Jessi Vetter covered a rebound as her teammates rallied to defend her. |
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Badgers Trip Minnesota 4-3
March 8, 2008
By John Gilbert
DULUTH, MN. --- If you stand Jinelle Zaugg next to Erika Lawler, the difference is readily evident, because Zaugg is 6-foot-1 and Lawler is 5-foot-0 - maybe. But side by side on the winner's podium Saturday, they were pretty nearly identical, after each of them scored twice to lift Wisconsin to a 4-3 victory over Minnesota in the second semifinal of the WCHA Women's Final Faceoff.
Wisconsin spotted the Golden Gophers the opening goal, then Zaugg tied it, with Lawler striking twice in the second period to build a 3-1 lead. Minnesota, with WCHA most valuable player Gigi Marvin scoring twice, caught up at 3-3, but Zaugg won it with her second of the game on a power play at 11:05 of the third period.
The outcome hinged on a Gopher nongoal with only one second remaining, when Marvin swung into the left corner and flung the puck toward the crease. Whitney Graft was there, but her only option was to put her hand out and virtually punch the puck into the goal. After review, it was disallowed for having been directed in by hand.
The victory puts the two-time defending NCAA champion Badgers at 21-5-3 and sets them squarely in Sunday's 1 p.m. championship game against Minnesota-Duluth at the DECC. For Minnesota (21-6-2) it is a return down I35 to await Sunday afternoon's NCAA selection announcement to see where they might be placed. All three teams are secure among the top eight for NCAA spots, but opponents and sites are still to be determined.
"It's a thrill to get the opportunity to play for the championship," said Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson, whose Badgers move from one archrival to another. "All four games we've had with UMD have been extremely close, and I expect this one to be another."
Minnesota, which nipped Wisconsin for second place in league play on the
basis of a final-game 2-2 tie, outshot the Badgers 28-21, and followed
the lead of Marvin, who seemed to rise to hyperspeed when the Gophers
needed a lift. Marvin opened the game's scoring at 14:07 of the first
period, when she moved in to the right circle and drilled a shot past
goaltender Jessi Vetter.
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Two minutes later, Wisconsin attacked, and Zaugg, stationed deep on the left, fielded the puck as it came off the end boards and snapped a shot that glanced in on the short side against goalie Kim Hanlon.
In the second period, Lawler put the Badgers up 2-1 by one-timing a pass out from behind the net by Hillary Knight, at 1:15. It stayed 2-1 until the last three minutes of the middle session. At that point, Lawler exchanged passes and broke for the net. As she closed in, the always-hustling Lawler lost her footing and slid, crashing into Hanlon at the goal. When they unpiled, the puck was in the net, and Lawler got credit for the goal for a 3-1 lead, at 17:44.
"I hit Angie Kesely in the slot and was going to the net," said Lawler. "I didn't know she was passing it back, and I guess I tipped it in. I didn't know it went in until afterward."
But at 18:55, Marvin scored with a quick shot and the Gophers were down only 3-2. "It's playoffs, and yeah, we lost the game, but it was fun," said Marvin.
Ross said, "Gigi got her line going, and they caused a lot of problems for Wisconsin."
At 6:42 of the third period, Minnesota tied it when Dagney Willey shot from the right point. The shot was wide to the right, but it came off the end boards right to where Jen Schoulis was stationed, and she jammed it in before Vetter could cover.
A critical play came at 9:19, when Minnesota was called for too many players on the ice. Not only did the penalty stall the Gopher momentum, but it gave the perfect opportunity to Zaugg to play opportunist. Mallory Deluce won the left corner faceoff, but the puck popped loose to the slot. Zaugg slammed a one-timer - right in - at 11:05.
Vetter and the Badgers held firm from the on, against repeated Gopher rushes, including the final minute, when Hanlon was pulled for an extra skater.
In the interview room, Vetter, at 5-foot-8, looked about normal size. Next to her were Zaugg, who towered over Lawler. The three of them proved, however, that the Badgers have every dimension covered.
