WCHA Final Faceoff preview: Four teams all with 25 wins or more
The Gophers will play Wisconsin in the second semifinal on Friday, Ohio State will meet Minnesota Duluth in the first.
March 3, 2023 at 1:35AM
Friday-Saturday, Ridder Arena
No. 4 seed Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 1 seed Ohio State, 1 p.m. Friday, B1G+
The matchup: The Bulldogs (25-8-3) and Buckeyes (30-4-2) meet in a rematch of last year's NCAA championship game, won 3-2 by Ohio State. The teams played four one-goal games in the regular season, with the Buckeyes winning 3-2 in overtime and 3-2 and 2-1 in regulation, and the Bulldogs winning 5-4 in OT. … F Gabbie Hughes (10 goals, 36 assists, 46 points) leads UMD in scoring, while D Ashton Bell (12-21-33) supplies offense from the blue line. G Emma Soderberg, an Olympian for Sweden, is 20-8-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and a nation's-best 11 shutouts. … F Jennifer Gardiner (21-33-54), D Sophie Jacques (22-24-46) and F Emma Maltais (10-35-45) power the Buckeyes. G Amanda Thiele is 17-2-1 with a 1.90 GAA and .905 save percentage.
No. 3 seed Wisconsin vs. No. 2 seed Gophers, 5 p.m. Friday, FOX9-Plus, B1G+
The matchup: The Badgers (25-9-2) secured nine of 12 points in the four regular-season meetings with Gophers (27-5-3). F Casey O'Brien (16-26-42) and D Caroline Harvey (11-24-35) are among six Badgers with 30 or more points. G Cami Kronish (17-7-2, 1.57, .931) has seized the starting job down the stretch. … Patty Kazmaier Award finalists Taylor Heise (29-33-62) and Grace Zumwinkle (25-33-58) are second and third nationally in scoring. G Skylar Vetter is 24-5-3 with a 1.90 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Championship: 2 p.m. Sunday, B1G+
Sophia Boman and Sophia Romine scored second-half goals as the Gophers advanced to the third round for only the third time in program history.
