Badgers Drop 3-2 Overtime Decision
December 01, 2007 | Women's Hockey
Meghan Duggan recorded a goal and an assist, but for the second day in a row the No. 4 Wisconsin women's hockey team fell in overtime to No. 3 Minnesota Duluth Saturday afternoon at the Kohl Center by a score of 3-2.
Junior goaltender Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.) made 22 saves as the Badgers (10-6-2, 6-4-2 WCHA) got swept at home for the first time in four years. The last time Wisconsin was swept at home was Oct. 25-26, 2003 by Minnesota.
Just like in yesterday's contest UMD (12-3-1, 11-3-0) was able to get on the board first. Karine Demeule took the puck at center ice, skated into the Badger zone and slipped a backhander past Vetter for the game's first goal less than two minutes into the game.
The Badgers had a golden opportunity to tie the game 8 minutes into the second period as Sanders and Nash went on a 2-on-1 but could not convert. Later in the period, however, Wisconsin was finally able to tie the game up while on the power play. Duggan (Danvers, Mass.) sent a puck from the left corner to Jasmine Giles (Ottawa, Ontario) at the point who then fired a shot on net where junior Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.), playing in her 100th career game, was waiting to tip it in for her fifth goal of the season at 14:28.
As the game began to pick up UW took their first lead of the series behind a blistering slapshot from Duggan while on the power play. Duluth attempted to clear the puck but Giles kept it in the zone. Duggan fired a shot from just over the blue line past UMD goaltender Kim Martin putting the Badgers up 2-1.
With Wisconsin trying to seal the victory, Duluth pulled their goalie for an extra skater in the game's final minute. The move worked as UMD was able to score the equalizer with just 25 seconds to go and sending the game to overtime.
The overtime period was a quick one though, as Duluth notched the game-winner just 15 seconds into the period. UMD's Iya Gavrilova, who also scored the game-tying goal, tallied the game-winner off a quick outlet pass from Saara Tuominen.
The overtime loss was the first for the Badgers since they dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Minnesota on Mar. 6, 2005. The UW finished the game 2-for-5 on the power play compared to UMD who went 0-for-5.
The Badgers, who don't return to the Kohl Center until Jan. 25, will be in Grand Forks, N.D., next weekend to face the North Dakota Fighting Sioux Dec. 8-9 at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Game time for both contests is 2 p.m.
