MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 2 University of Wisconsin secured a 4-3 overtime win over the No. 3 University of Minnesota in the second semifinal game of the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff on Friday at Ridder Arena. Wisconsin will face No. 1 Ohio State University for the WCHA postseason crown at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Wisconsin’s Lacey Eden put the game away for the Badgers 7:59 into overtime after Casey O’Brien tied the score at 3-3 to force overtime with just eight seconds left in regulation.
 
Along with tallies from Eden and O’Brien, Wisconsin (32-5-0) received two goals from WCHA Player of the Year Kirsten Simms. Goaltender Ava McNaughton finished with 20 saves for the Badgers.


 
Minnesota (27-9-2) was led by goaltender Skylar Vetter’s 38-save effort. The Gophers received goals from Josefin Bouveng, Ella Huber, and Peyton Hemp, and Bouveng (1g-1a) and Nelli Laitinen (2a) led the way with two points each.
 
“Obviously the result was not what we wanted, especially when you look back and we were eight seconds away from winning the hockey game,” Minnesota head coach Brad Frost said. “I’m really proud of our group. They battled. They competed. I thought they played really, really well. Skylar made some great saves. In the end, we couldn’t find a way to win it, even though we had some chances there.”
 
For the game, Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 42-23, including a 26-7 advantage over the second and third periods. In overtime, shots were even at four apiece. Each team scored one power play goal with Minnesota going 1-for-3 and Wisconsin going 1-for-4 with the skater advantage.
 
The Badgers got out to a fast start, taking a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the game when Simms buried a pass from Laila Edwards and O’Brien.
 
However, the Gophers responded with a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Bouveng scored off a rebound from a shot by Abbey Murphy with 15:27 remaining in the opening period before Huber gave the Maroon & Gold the lead less than three minutes later.
 
Wisconsin scored the lone second-period goal, making it 2-2 midway through the middle stanza. Simms scored her second of the game when she stuffed the puck past Vetter on the Badgers’ second power play of the game.
 
“In the second period, we played up to our capabilities,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. “We did some good forechecking, created some opportunities, got a nice power-play goal, and almost capitalized on a couple other situations.”
 
Minnesota again responded as the Gophers took a late lead when Hemp scored to put the Gophers up 3-2 with a power-play goal with 3:44 remaining in the game.
 
In the final two minutes, the Badgers pulled McNaughton for the extra attacker and scored with just eight seconds remaining. O’Brien centered the puck from behind the net, and it bounced past Vetter to tie the game at 3-3.
 
“After that, I think momentum tilted completely on to our side,” Simms said. “We knew we were going to finish it out.”
 
The teams exchanged opportunities in overtime with shots on goal even at four apiece. Wisconsin prevailed with a goal off the stick of Eden to clinch its place in Saturday’s Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff championship game, set for 2 p.m. at Ridder Arena.
 
“In overtime, it comes down to somebody making a play, somebody creating an opportunity, and somebody getting the puck to the back of the net,” Johnson said. “Ava made a couple real nice saves on a couple flurries that they had early on and then Lacey snapped it in, so we live to see another day and an opportunity to play for a trophy. We’ll recover, we’ll be excited, and it should be a good game tomorrow afternoon.”
 
The Badgers will face Ohio State (32-3-0), which earned a spot in the title game with a 5-0 win over No. 8 Minnesota Duluth (20-13-4) in Friday’s first semifinal matchup. Tickets for the WCHA championship game are on sale now through the Gopher Athletics Ticket Office. Buy tickets now.
 
For more information about the Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff, refer to www.wcha.com/finalfaceoff.