Kessel feels 'fortunate' to celebrate another NCAA title

DURHAM, N.H. – Amanda Kessel helped start this Gophers' run of four women's hockey titles in five consecutive trips to the NCAA championship game.

She celebrated the 2012 title as a sophomore in Duluth. Back then, it wasn't yet custom for hockey teams to cut apart the net after winning championships.

On Sunday, after scoring a key goal in the Gophers' 3-1 win over Boston College, Kessel took delight in cutting her own white nylon memento. For the 24-year-old senior, this game capped a storybook comeback.

"I'm just so grateful," she said. "I'm waiting to wake up. It's unbelievable."

As a junior in 2013, Kessel won the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the nation's top player, scoring 101 points to help lead the Gophers to a 41-0 championship finish.

She suffered a concussion playing for Team USA that fall. Though she recovered to play in the 2014 Olympics, she almost had to retire from hockey when the concussion symptoms returned. After battling the symptoms for 18 months, she returned to the ice in August. Coach Brad Frost said he tried not to get his hopes up.

"I just felt like it was an extreme long shot," he said.

But later in the fall, "you could see the improvement and you could see the light back in Kess' eyes," Frost added. "She was back to who she is and what she's born to do."

With only a sliver of college eligibility remaining, Kessel returned to the Gophers on Feb. 5. She wound up producing 11 goals and six assists in 13 games, including a hat trick in the NCAA quarterfinals and another goal in Friday's 3-2 overtime win over Wisconsin.

The Gophers had to know there would be a Kessel Moment on Sunday. It didn't come until almost halfway through the third period.

With lots of traffic in front of the Eagles net, Kessel skated toward the right side, and fired a slapshot back toward the left post. By the time Boston College goalie Katie Burt could see the puck, it was too late. The Gophers had a 2-0 lead.

Kessel spoke after the game about how the entire team "laid it all on the line." And for her, to end her Gophers career with a third national title?

"I thought I'd be more emotional going out," she said. "But there was a moment, maybe a minute after we had won, and I was just sitting there and almost laughing to myself. I just can't believe it. I never would have imagined it happening."

Kessel said she hopes to be part of the 2018 U.S. Olympic team. "It's a huge goal of mine," she said, "to hopefully bring back a gold medal to the U.S."

And now she's got practice cutting apart the nets.