Wisconsin surprised most everyone here by jumping all over Harvard in the second period. Down 1-0, Wisconsin scored three times to take a 3-1 lead. The Badgers never looked back, and the two-time defending Division I women's hockey champions will try for a three-peat Saturday at the DECC. 4-1 was the final. Jinnelle Zaugg scored twice for Wisconsin (29-8-3), as they became just the second team this season to score more than two goals in a game against Harvard (32-2).
(New Hampshire was the other, and that was Harvard's only other loss, oddly enough by a 4-1 score.)
Harvard ended up outshooting Wisconsin by a 34-28 margin, but they couldn't get anything past Badger goalie Jessie Vetter after a first-period power-play goal by Jenny Brine. Wisconsin took good care of Vetter in the third period as they protected their lead, and Zaugg added to it early on to seal the deal.
The Badgers play at 12:30pm CT Saturday in the national championship game, in search of their third straight title. If UMD wins the second game, it will mark the third straight year that the national championship game matched WCHA teams.
I'm not into comparing regions (East vs West), but I do think this speaks very well for the WCHA's status as the power league in Division I hockey - men's and women's.
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