MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. — The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team fell short of claiming the school’s first WCHA tournament title Sunday, falling to the University of Minnesota 3-2 in an overtime affair at Ridder Arena. In one of the most thrilling games in Badger history, Wisconsin made an improbable late comeback, only to be handcuffed by controversial penalties.

The fireworks began with 1:04 left in the game and with Wisconsin trailing 2-0. Head coach Mark Johnson called a timeout and pulled starting goaltender Meaghan Horras for the extra skater.

Minnesota controlled the ensuing face-off in their zone, but couldn’t clear the puck. Senior captain Carla MacLeod picked up the puck near the blue line and fired a low slap shot past Minnesota goaltender Jody Horak that finally put Wisconsin on the board, with 50 seconds left on the clock.

Wisconsin controlled the next face-off and quickly dumped it into the Gophers zone. Horras returned to the bench for the extra attacker, and the strategy paid off, as MacLeod again beat Horak, this time on a high wrister that went over the netminder’s shoulder with 24 seconds left. The goal sent the Wisconsin bench into pandemonium.

“We needed to get some pucks to the net and create a scoring chance, either from a direct shot or a rebound,” Johnson said. “When you score a goal you get energy from it. It was nice to get a goal early, right after we pull our goalie because it gives you enough time to get back to center ice, try to get the puck down their end, and you know you are going to get an opportunity. After we scored that second goal, I just tried to tell my next line to buy 20 seconds, just get to overtime and try to win it that way.”

With the score 2-2 Wisconsin was dealt a penalty with just 14 seconds left in the period. The circumstance was deja-vu for Wisconsin.

With the score tied 0-0 in the second, sophomore Lindsay Macy was called for tripping with 14 seconds remaining, giving Minnesota a late power play. The face-off was in the Badger zone and controlled by the Gophers. Olympic defenseman Lindsay Wall passed off to fellow Olympian Krissy Wendell whose shot was stopped by Horras, but the rebound was knocked in by yet another Olympian Natalie Darwitz with only 4.4 seconds left on the clock, giving Minnesota the 1-0 advantage after two periods of play.

This time however, Wisconsin survived to the buzzer, but the end was near as junior Nikki Burish was called for high-sticking away from the play as time expired, giving Minnesota’s vaunted “Olympic line” a 5-on-3 power play to open overtime.

Wisconsin had generally controlled what many consider the most dangerous line in women’s hockey, for most of the game. The line consisted of Wendell, an Olympian and WCHA Player of the Year, Darwitz, an Olympian and WCHA scoring champion, and Kelly Stephens, the WCHA’s fifth leading scorer.

However, down two skaters, the Badgers lasted just 19 seconds, as Wendell took a behind-the-net pass from Stephens and deposited it in the open net, as Horras was unable to recover in time.

Wisconsin out-played Minnesota through the first 40 minutes of the game, shutting down the Gopher offense and limiting it to only 11 shots. However, penalties and unsuccessful special teams play spelled doom for Wisconsin in the end.

Minnesota increased their lead to 2-0 after another power play goal in the third. The two teams played even until the final minutes, setting up the dramatic ending.

After the game, Johnson expressed his disapproval of the calls that went against Wisconsin late in periods, especially the penalty on Burish as time expired.

“I’ve been around this game for a long time. I’m from the school where you want the players to decide the game,” Johnson said. “But they have a job to do, and they are going to do it to the best of their abilities.”

Second Round: Wisconsin 3, UMD 2 (OT)

Wisconsin had its second comeback win in as many games, with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the University of Minnesota-Duluth Saturday afternoon.

Minnesota-Duluth struck first when Rachel Drazen picked up the loose puck five feet in front of Horras, during a flurry of action in front of the Wisconsin net, and buried it for a 1-0 Duluth lead.

Both teams exchanged rushes in the final minute, but the first period came to a close with Duluth still leading 1-0.

Wisconsin came out inspired to start the second period, charging into the Bulldog zone off the face-off. Junior Grace Hutchins’ driving wrist shot was saved by Duluth goalie Ritta Schaublin, but the rebound was picked up and put away by senior Jackie Friesen only fifteen seconds into the period to even the score at one.

Duluth regained the lead 4:05 into the period when Nora Tallus picked up a rebound and put it past Horras.

Wisconsin evened it up at the 13:32 mark when Schaublin misplayed a shot from UW’s Heidi Kletzien, making the score 2-2.

The third period was played at a frenetic pace, with both teams having multiple chances to score, but the pair of goaltenders stood tall, sending the game into overtime.

With 46 seconds left in a power play, 2:34 into overtime, sophomore Sara Bauer took the puck behind the net and passed to junior Sharon Cole who was driving to the net. Cole took the pass and quickly slapped it past Schaublin from point blank, giving UW the victory.

First round: Wisconsin 3, St. Cloud 1

Wisconsin opened the first round of the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over St. Cloud State Friday afternoon.

The Badgers trailed for the majority of the game after St. Cloud forward Laura Fast picked up an errant Badger pass coming out of the penalty box with seven minutes left in the first period and beat goaltender Christine Dufour. This marked Dufour’s first action since starting against Quinnipiac Jan. 7.

The Huskies continued to keep the Badger offense under wraps until the Huskies made an ill-advised pass of their own. Goaltender Lauri St. Jacques tried to clear the puck, but instead passed it directly to freshman Jinelle Zaugg, who buried the puck into the empty net, evening the score for UW.

The Badgers took the lead with 5:47 remaining when sophomore Lindsay Macy scored 13 seconds into the only power play of the period.

Wisconsin added an empty net goal with 31 seconds remaining, courtesy of MacLeod.

“The hardest thing to do in the game of hockey is to end somebody’s season,” Johnson said. “This was a great game, and we did what we needed to do.”