UW women reach Frozen Four
MADISON – Kristen Campbell had the best seat in the house Saturday afternoon at LaBahn Arena.
Wisconsin’s sophomore goaltender faced only 12 shots and watched sophomore center Abby Roque score backto-back goals in a span of 16 seconds and add an assist to help UW to a 4-0 victory over Minnesota in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.
The Badgers, energized by a crowd of 2,423, dominated play in the neutral zone, controlled the puck for long stretches in the Gophers’ zone and allowed just one shot on goal in the final period.
“When you’re not seeing a lot of shots it is tougher,” said Campbell, who made a handful of critical saves when tested. “You really have to stay mentally engaged the whole game and talk to yourself pretty much just to keep yourself in the game.
“Those games are fun to be in and all season long our team has been consistent. It has been great.”
Second-seeded UW (31-4-2), which went 5-1 against the Gophers this season, advances to the Frozen Four for the fifth consecutive time and 11th time overall under Mark Johnson.
“When they’re on their game – and this is the best I’ve seen them play this year – they’re tough,” Minnesota coach Brad Frost said.
The Badgers meet third-seeded Colgate (33-5-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. Colgate advanced with a 3-1 victory over Northeastern on Saturday.
Top-seeded Clarkson (34-4-1) meets Ohio State (24-10-4) in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday.
The title game is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.
All three games are to be televised by BTN.
Minnesota, which upset UW, 3-1, in the WCHA title game, finished 24-11-3.
The Gophers entered the day averaging 3.2 goals and 30.5 shots per
game but struggled to move the puck up the ice all afternoon.
UW had more shots on goal (14) in the first 20 minutes than the Gophers managed in 60 minutes and finished with a huge advantage, 39-12.
"They were on us it just seemed continually," Frost said.
Sophomore winger Presley Norby started the onslaught with a tremendous effort 10 minutes 8 seconds into the opening period.
Norby, from Minnetonka, Minn., gained control of the puck after a turnover in Minnesota’s zone and maintained possession while being hooked from behind by Katie Robinson.
Norby got a shot off from the slot while falling to the ice. Minnesota goaltender Sidney Peters made the save, but the puck caromed out to the bottom of the right face-off circle and Norby ripped a shot on one knee to beat Peters.
"If you’re watching the game you’re going to notice her on the ice," said Johnson, noting Norby had a gamehigh eight shots. "She is around the puck. She is tracking the puck. She is attacking the puck."
Roque, who entered the day with nine goals, scored at 6:20 and 6:36 of the second period to give UW a 3-0 lead.
She beat Peters, who had stopped 64 of 65 shots in the WCHA tournament, high to the stick side both times.
"She is really good down low," said Roque, who assisted on Claudia Kepler's power-play goal in the final period. "The weakest part of her game – and she is a really strong goalie – is to shoot over her shoulders. …Both of them I tried to go over her shoulders and was lucky enough to get it in the back of the net."
Roque broke the NCAA tournament mark for shortest time between goals. The previous mark had been 20 seconds.
"I thought Roque was the best player on the ice tonight and I told her that," Frost said. "She is a big-time player and stepped up tonight.
“Even when she wasn’t scoring she was generating, she was creating."