The University of Wisconsin women's hockey team won its 5th NCAA title in a 2-0 win over Minnesota this past weekend at host Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. 

It was only appropriate that the Badgers and Gophers met in the NCAA National Championship Game, given that during the course of the 2018-19 season, both teams were ranked either No. 1 or 2 in Division I women’s hockey. Minnesota dispatched the Big Red of Cornell with a 2-0 defensive gem in the first semifinal game on Friday, March 22. The Wisconsin-Clarkson match-up began much the same way: tight backchecking by the entire Wisconsin team, before the Badgers' offensive speed and pressure began to wear down Clarkson. Final score 5-0.

For the first 10 minutes of the championship game, Minnesota continued right where it left off against Cornell, furiously backchecking and controlling puck possession. At 10:20 of the first period, however, Wisconsin senior co-captain Sophia Shaver (Wayzata, Minn.) scored on a beautiful feed from beneath the goal line from Presley Norby (Minnetonka, Minn).

Although Minnesota continued to battle, they never seemed to recover their backchecking intensity. The final goal of the season was scored at 9:15 of the second period on a shorthanded goal from, fittingly, the other Badger co-captain, Annie Pankowski. Her backhand shot found a wisp of space between Gopher goalie Alex Gulstene and the near post top shelf.

Wisconsin had not won a title since 2011.  

“I felt comfortable the whole game,” Badger head coach Mark Johnson said. “I thought the team was in a good place. It was just a matter of going out and executing.”  

Wisconsin goalie Kristen Campbell recorded 27 saves for the championship win and allowed no goals in this year's NCAA Tournament. Campbell was named Tournament MVP.

“I’m just so proud of our team,” Minnesota head coach Brad Frost said. “This is an awesome group, and I’ve enjoyed every day with them. They left it out there tonight. It felt like we were inches away all night… We were close, but not close enough tonight.”