MINNEAPOLIS – The top-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team will take on Border Battle rival Minnesota, ranked No. 2 in the country, in the championship game of the 2019 NCAA Women's Frozen Four on Sunday at the People's United Center in Hamden, Connecticut.
 
Puck drop for the championship is at 1:30 p.m. CT and the game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network or online via BTN2Go with a subscription. The contest can be heard in the Madison area on 1310 WIBA AM or on the iHeart Radio app as Reid Magnum and UW goaltender coach Mark Greenhalgh have the call.
 
In addition, a fan event will take place prior to puck drop on Sunday at J Roo's and UW fans are encouraged to attend the red carpet event at the People's United Center prior to the game. More information can be found here. 

1. HOW WE GOT HERE: The No. 1 Wisconsin women's hockey team is back in the NCAA championship game after defeating the Clarkson Golden Knights, 5-0, Friday in Hamden, Connecticut. Junior Abby Roque, senior Sam Cogan, senior Annie Pankowski (2) and junior Presley Norby all scored for Wisconsin (34-4-2), in Fridays' contest. Wisconsin avenged it's 2017 NCAA title loss to Clarkson by pouring on four goals in the third period of Friday's contest to send the Badgers back to the title game for the second time in three years.

Just one more standing in our way. #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/ej8nKRrAg6

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 23, 2019

 
In the other semifinal game on Friday, Minnesota's Nicole Schammel sent in the game-winning goal in the second period to break the deadlock with Cornell. The No. 2 Golden Gophers (32-5-1) locked down the Big Red the rest of the game, adding an empty-netter score in the waning minutes of Friday's matchup to secure a 2-0 semifinal victory and a trip to Sunday's national championship game. Sophomore Alex Gulstene earned a 15-save shutout for the Gophers.

2. AGAINST MINNESOTA: For the sixth time this season, the Badgers will face off against border-rival Minnesota, but this time for the biggest title in women's hockey, the national championship. The No. 1 Badgers hold the season record over the Golden Gophers, 3-2, most recently defeating the WCHA rival in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship, 3-1. Wisconsin eyes it fifth national title Sunday and its first since 2011. Minnesota isn't unfamiliar to the title game either, as the Golden Gophers have won four of the last seven national championships (2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016). Sunday's matchup will mark the third time the state rivals have met in the national championship game as UW won its first NCAA title in 2006 at Minnesota while the Golden Gophers got the best of the Badgers in 2012.

3. SUPER SOUPY: Kristen Campbell has been a brick wall for the Badgers in the postseason, allowing just three goals with four shutouts in UW's six postseason contests. The two-time WCHA Goaltender of the Year, Campbell broke the school record for most wins (34) in a year shared by Olympians Ann-Renee Desbiens, Alex Rigsby and Jessie Vetter. The Brandon, Manitoba, native became the first goaltender to shutout Clarkson this season, denying one of the top lines in women's college hockey, a Clarkson trio that combined for 85 goals and 112 assists for 197 points. Campbell currently occupies a nation's best 1.06 goals-against average with a .937 save percentage this season.

4. PANKOWSKI LOVES THE POSTSEASON: Annie Pankowski and the playoffs are a dangerous combination for opponents. The senior has an NCAA-best 10 goals after tallying two in UW's 5-0 semifinal victory over Clarkson. The WCHA Player of the Year, Pankowski has been consistently clutch for the Badgers in the postseason, scoring at least one goal in each of Wisconsin's six post-season contests this year while her 12 playoff points are the most by any player in the country. In addition, her 20 career playoff goals are the most in program history.

She's on 🔥🔥🔥!#Badgers @anniepank now has 🔟 goals this postseason after scoring twice against Clarkson! pic.twitter.com/TYMoO7x8Q7

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 23, 2019

5. ANOTHER ONE FOR THE WCHA: The WCHA has once again proven to be one of the most dominant conferences in all of women's college hockey Sunday's matchup between Wisconsin and Minnesota guarantees the league's 17th NCAA title in the last 20 years.