Wisconsin Badgers
Minnesota
Prevost's game-winner in OT drops No. 2 Minnesota
February 19, 2010 | Women's Hockey
Feb. 19, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sophomore Carolyne Prevost’s goal in the final minute of overtime gave the Wisconsin women’s hockey team a 4-3 victory over second-ranked Minnesota and secured home ice for the Badgers in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs.
UW led 3-2 late in the third period until Minnesota’s Emily West put in the equalizer with only 17 seconds left in regulation. Minnesota had called a timeout with one minute left, pulling goaltender Alyssa Grogan shortly after in favor of an extra attacker.
The excitement was short-lived, though, as the Badgers answered with the overtime game-winning goal at the 4:03 mark in the extra session, handing Minnesota its first home loss of the season. Junior Mallory Deluce carried the puck up the length of the ice and beat a defender to feed Prevost in the crease, where she tipped it in five-hole. Anne Dronen notched the secondary assist. The goal was Prevost’s 10th of the season and third game-winner.
Minnesota got out to a quick lead, opening the game with a goal on the first shift. Just 32 seconds into the game, Sarah Erickson put a shot in the top right corner from the slot. Minnesota would double the lead when Sam Downey put the puck past UW's Alannah McCready at the 17:09 mark.
Despite the early deficit, Wisconsin didn’t quit, cutting the lead to one in the final minute of the frame. At 19:17 Brooke Ammerman took control of the puck in the low slot, getting it past Grogan. Brianna Decker and Jasmine Giles were on the assists.
For only the second time this season, Wisconsin came back to claim the lead after trailing in the first. Taking advantage of defensive breakdowns, the Badgers went up 3-2 in the second frame as Giles scored back-to-back goals for her second two-goal game in as many games.
Just three minutes into the second period, Deluce fed the puck to Giles who gave it up to Ammerman for the give-and-go. Ammerman led Giles for the breakaway as she beat Grogan to tie the game at two.
Giles’ second goal came on the power play after Ammerman put the puck wide behind the goal line. Giles picked it up and carried it around the back of the net, backhanding in her 10th goal of the season to give UW its first lead of the night.
McCready, who after the two first period goals, didn’t surrender another goal until the final seconds of regulation when Minnesota pulled Grogan in favor of an extra attacker. West tied it up with a hard shot from the far corner to go to extra minutes.
In overtime, Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 2-1, winning its second overtime game of the season.
McCready finished with 26 saves while Grogan stopped 17 shots for the Gophers. Minnesota outshot the Wisconsin 29-21, marking only the third time all season UW has been outshot.
Wisconsin improves to 18-12-3 and 15-12-1 in the WCHA to stand tied for third place with St. Cloud State. The Badgers are 3-0-0 against the Gophers this season heading into the series finale.
The loss drops Minnesota to 21-7-5 and 18-7-4 in the WCHA to hold a share of the league-lead with Minnesota Duluth. The Gophers are winless in their last five games, going 4-0-1 in that time.
Wisconsin closes the series Saturday, Feb. 20 with a 4 p.m. start at Ridder Arena. The game will air on tape-delay on the Big Ten Network at 10 p.m. CT tomorrow.
