Gophers women lose overtime thriller to Ohio St. for WCHA title; get No. 2 seed in NCAA tourney

Same two teams in two weeks for the national championship?

"That felt like a national championship,'' Ohio State coach Nadine Muzerall said after her second-ranked Buckeyes defeated the top-ranked Gophers 3-2 in overtime to win the WCHA Final Faceoff title game on Sunday at Ridder Arena in a stirring game between two women's hockey powers.

"What a hockey game,'' Gophers coach Brad Frost said, disappointed in the result but thrilled for the show the teams put on for the announced crowd of 2,075. "It was a pretty fun game to be a part of.''

Sophie Jaques scored 23 seconds into OT as Ohio State finished a comeback from a two-goal deficit after two periods to win their second WCHA tournament crown.

Jaques, who also scored the tying goal, followed up a rebound of her own shot and beat Gophers goalie Lauren Bench for the winner. Ohio State was on a power play after Gophers defenseman Olivia Knowles was called for body checking with 8 seconds remaining in the third.

On Sunday night, the NCAA announced its 11-team tournament field. No. 1 overall seed Ohio State (29-6-0), No. 2 Minnesota (29-8-1), No. 3 Northeastern (30-4-2) and No. 4 Colgate (30-7-1) were named regional hosts.

NCAA women's hockey bracket

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the Gophers will play the winner of Thursday's 6 p.m. first-round game between No. 8 Minnesota Duluth (24-11-1) and No. 9 Harvard (22-9-1). Ohio State will meet the winner of No. 7 Quinnipiac and No. 11 Syracuse. Northeastern will play the winner of No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 10 Clarkson. Colgate meets No. 5 Yale in its regional final.

Regional champions advance to the Frozen Four on March 18 and 20 in State College, Pa. The Gophers and Ohio State are in opposite brackets and could meet in the final.

The NCAA certainly would hope their tournament can match Sunday's drama.

"We're the top two teams in the country, no doubt,'' said Gophers center Taylor Heise, the national scoring leader. "… It didn't happen to go our way today, but we're excited for next week.''

BOXSCORE: Ohio State 3, Gophers 2 (OT)

Sara Saakinen and Jaques – the tournament's Most Outstanding Player — scored in the third period to rally Ohio State, which got 31 saves from goalie Amanda Thiele.

After a spirited but scoreless first period, the Gophers took a 1-0 lead at 7:22 of the second when Heise fed Abigail Boreen, who toe-dragged the puck and fired it past Thiele.

"I saw Heise take two girls with her, and I was patient and just let it rip,'' Boreen said.

With 40 seconds left in the second, Peyton Hemp extended the Gophers' lead to 2-0 by tipping in Knowles' shot from the top of the circle.

The two-goal deficit didn't sit well with Muzerall, who challenged her team during the second intermission.

"Got in the locker room, got in their ear a little bit, and they responded,'' said Muzerall, the Gophers' all-time leading goal-scorer and a former Minnesota assistant coach. "That's what's best about this team is their heart and character.''

Ohio State cut the lead to 2-1 on a goal by Saakinen at 3:14 of the third, then tied it at 10:26 when Clair DeGeorge won a puck battle behind the net and fed Jaques in the slot for the goal.

The Gophers got a power play with 5:37 left in the third when Gabby Rosenthal was called for body checking. With 3:31 left and just after the penalty expired, Ella Huber tried to stuff the puck past Thiele, but after a video review, the call stood that the puck didn't cross the goal line. Frost wasn't so sure about the ruling.

"It's starting to cross the goal line, goes under her pad, her pad's in the net, and she pulls her pad back,'' Frost said. "Obviously, a big moment.''

In the end, the Buckeyes got their big moment in overtime. And if the two teams meet again in two weeks, it wouldn't surprise Muzerall.

"No, it wouldn't, to be honest with you,'' she said.