STANDINGS | COMPOSITE SCHEDULE
The final weekend of the regular season for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association opened up with No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Minnesota, and Minnesota State each earning victories in their series openers.
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Box Scores and Recaps
- No. 4 Minnesota 3, No. 6 Minnesota Duluth 2 - Box Score | Minnesota Recap | Minnesota Duluth Recap
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - In a top-10 matchup between No. 4 Minnesota and No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, the Golden Gophers defeated the Bulldogs in a thrilling 3-2 win on Friday night. After a scoreless first 14 minutes of action, Emma Kreisz put Minnesota on the board, but the Bulldogs answered with a goal of their own less than three minutes later as Olivia Wallin found the back of the net. Minnesota scored two unanswered in the second as Ella Huber scored at the 6:40 mark, and teammate Natalie Mlynkova scored the game-winning goal later in the period. Minnesota Duluth's Wallin scored the only goal of the third period with less than four minutes to go on the contest, but it was not enough as Minnesota would go on to earn the 3-2 win. Rookie netminder Hannah Clark collected 28 saves for Minnesota to earn her 20th win of the season.
- Minnesota State 8, St. Thomas, 3 - Box Score | Minnesota State Recap | St. Thomas Recap
MANKATO, Minn. - For the second time this season, Minnesota State recorded eight goals in a contest as the Mavericks defeated St. Thomas 8-3 for the series opener. Minnesota State recorded back-to-back goals in the opening seven minutes from Madison Mashuga and Claire Vekich. Rylee Bartz gave the Tommies their first of the game just over 15 minutes into play, but the Mavericks responded with a goal from Sydney Langseth to close out the first. Ella Boerger opened the second with a power-play goal to bring the Tommies within one, but the Mavericks responded once again with two unanswered to close out the period as Kamryn Van Batavia and Bella Shipley each added one. The third frame opened with Van Batavia extending the lead to four for Minnesota State as she scored her second of the game right before Boerger notched her second of the game for the Tommies. The Mavericks scored two more unanswered in the third for the 8-3 final.
- No. 1 Wisconsin 6, Bemidji State 1 - Box Score | Wisconsin Recap | Bemidji State Recap
BEMIDJI, Minn. - The top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers recorded their fifth straight victory and 30th of the season after a 6-1 win in their series opener with Bemidji State. Caroline Harvey lit the lamp for the Badgers six minutes into the first period and broke the Wisconsin program record for most points in a single season by a defender with the goal. The Beavers tied the game at one to open the second as Genevieve Hendrickson found the back of the net on the power-play, but the Badgers responded with two of their own from Cassie Hall and Casey O'Brien to close out the second with a 3-1 lead. Wisconsin scored three more unanswered in the third from Laila Edwards, O'Brien, and Finley McCarthy. Wisconsin's Ava McNaughton stopped 11 of the 12 shots she faced for her NCAA-leading 29th win of the season while the Beavers' Kaitlin Groess finished the game with 32 saves despite the loss.
- No. 2 Ohio State 5, No. 11 St. Cloud State 3 - Box Score | Ohio State Recap | St. Cloud State Recap
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Jocelyn Amos netted her second hat trick of the season en route to No. 2 Ohio State's 5-3 victory over No. 11 St. Cloud State. Makenna Webster lit the lamp for the Buckeyes right under four minutes into the opening period off of an assist from Jenna Buglioni. Joy Dunne extended the lead to two for Ohio State after another assist from Buglioni at the 16:35 mark of the first. The second period saw Amos score her first of the game three minutes in while Alice Sauriol put the Huskies on the board at the 15:39 mark. St. Cloud State then scored back-to-back goals to open the third period courtesy of Laura Zimmermann and Emma Gentry to tie the game at three. Ohio State's Amos closed out the game with back-to-back goals of her own to complete the hat trick and give her team the victory. Amanda Thiele finished the game with 13 saves for the Buckeyes and recorded her 15th win of the season. St Cloud State's Gentry recorded her 87th career point in the game and moved into sole possession of 10th place in program history.
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