University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
20-9-3, 16-7-3-2
Wisconsin
28-3-2, 19-2-2-2
Gophers Drop Border Battle Game One
2/16/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MADISON, Wis. - Sydney Baldwin and Grace Zumwinkle scored for the Golden Gophers, but top-ranked Wisconsin rallied with three unanswered goals as the No. 7 University of Minnesota women's hockey team fell 4-3 to the host Badgers in front of a sold-out crowd at LaBahn Arena Friday night.
The Gophers (20-9-3, 13-7-3-2 WCHA) twice held a two-goal lead. Minnesota was on top 2-0 after the opening period behind a pair of goals from Baldwin and again led by two at 3-1 during the second period, but Wisconsin responded with three-straight goals to take game one of the series.
With her two-goal effort, Baldwin moved into a tie for seventh among all-time Gopher blue-liners with 24 career goals, and Zumwinkle posted a two-point game with one goal and one assist. Sidney Peters made 34 saves as the Badgers had a 38-15 advantage in shots on goal.
Wisconsin (28-3-2, 19-2-2-2 WCHA) got two goals each from Sam Cogan and Claudia Kepler, along with 12 saves from goaltender Kristen Campbell.
Coach @FrostBrad reflects on the #Gophers' 4-3 loss in game one of the #BorderBattle. pic.twitter.com/L4DGCYAsiD
-- Minnesota W Hockey (@GopherWHockey) February 17, 2018
Baldwin put the Gophers on the board with 8:55 remaining in the opening period when she sent a wrist shot past Campbell in the slot. Taylor Wente and Zumwinkle picked up assists on the play. Baldwin then scored her second of the game just 3:17 later when she finished off a rebound from an Alex Woken shot from the end line.
The second period saw the Badgers cut Minnesota's lead to one with a goal by Cogan, who buried a loose puck on Peters' glove side. However, Zumwinkle responded for the Gophers on a three-on-two rush, burying a feed from Nicole Schammel at the 3:34 mark of the second period to regain the team's two-goal lead at 3-1.
Cogan again cut Minnesota's lead to one, making it 3-2 at the 13:58 mark of the second period, and the Gophers held a 3-2 lead after two periods. Kepler then scored twice in the third period, tying the game at 3-3 just 32 seconds in before netting the game-winner with 5:58 remaining.
With one regular-season game remaining for six of the league's seven teams, the WCHA postseason match-ups are set. No. 3 seed Minnesota will host No. 6 seed St. Cloud State in a best-of-three series at Ridder Arena next weekend while No. 2 seed Ohio State hosts No. 7 seed Minnesota State and No. 4 seed Minnesota Duluth hosts No. 5 seed Bemidji State. The WCHA regular-season champion Badgers have a first-round bye straight to the WCHA Final Faceoff at Ridder Arena on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
The Gophers and Badgers meet in both teams' regular-season finale at 3:07 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon.
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