A sold-out crowd at LaBahn Arena in Madison was treated to a goaltenders' duel Saturday afternoon that didn't end until the 12th round of a shootout between college women's hockey's top two ranked teams.
Minnesota Duluth's Maddie Rooney stopped 43 shots in regulation and overtime - and an additional nine in a row in the shootout - before Mekenzie Steffen broke through to give top-ranked Wisconsin a 3-2 WCHA shootout win after tying No. 2 UMD 1-1 through overtime.
Badgers goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens made 21 saves, plus wasn't beaten from the third through 12th round of the shootout. Her stop of Lynn Astrup in the 12th round ended the battle and gave the Badgers (26-2-2 overall, 21-2-2 WCHA) an extra point in the standings as they close in on a WCHA regular-season title.
The Bulldogs, third behind Wisconsin and Minnesota in the conference standings, are 20-4-5 and 17-4-4.
Sarah Nurse broke a scoreless deadlock with her 18th goal of the season 9:17 into the third period. Rooney had made 28 saves in the first two periods.
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But UMD forced an extra session as Sydney Brodt scored her fifth of the season at 14:38.
Annie Pankowski and Abby Roque scored on Wisconsin's first two shootout attempts while UMD's Ashleigh Brykaliuk and Sidney Morin followed suit before the goalies stonewalled the next 18 shooters.
The teams square off in a rematch at 12:07 p.m. today in Madison.
Minnesota Duluth 0-0-1-0-1
Wisconsin............ 0-0-1-0-1
Wisconsin wins 12-round shootout 3-2
First period - No scoring.
Second period - No scoring.
Third period - 1. W, Sarah Nurse 18 (Mikaela Gardner, Abby Roque), 9:17; 2. UMD, Sydney Brodt 5 (Sidney Morin, Catherine Daoust), 14:38.
Overtime - No scoring.
Shootout - UMD goals: Ashleigh Brykaliuk, Morin; Wisconsin goals: Annie Pankowski, Roque, Mekenzie Steffen.
Saves - Maddie Rooney, UMD, 19-9-10-5-43; Ann-Renee Desbiens, Wis, 7-9-4-1-21.
Concordia, Wis. 4,
St. Scholastica 3
Veronika Metanova and Lexi Holman scored third-period power-play goals as Concordia rallied to win the NCHA game at Mars Lakeview Arena.
Metanova tied the game at 3-3 midway through the period and Holman followed with the game-winner at 14:58.
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Abby Sawyer, Alexia Klaas of Duluth and Emily Stegora scored for the Saints (11-9-2 overall, 8-6-2 NCHA) and Lindsey Hartfiel made 43 saves.
Christina Pattengale stopped 25 shots for Concordia (10-12-2, 6-10-2).
COLLEGE MEN
St. Norbert 9, St. Scholastica 2
The second-ranked Green Knights converted 36 percent of their shots on goal in an NCHA rout of the Saints at Ashwaubenon, Wis.
Noah Nelson tied a program record with seven points, including three goals, for the Green Knights (18-4-1 overall, 14-3-1 NCHA), who wrapped up the North Division crown.
St. Norbert scored on four of its first six shots during the opening period, forcing CSS goalie Peter Megariotis from the net. The Green Knights added four goals in the second period.
Kale Derkson scored two power-play goals for the Saints (12-10-1, 10-7-1), their only goals of the weekend series.
