(UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS) DULUTH, MINN – The top-ranked Wisconsin women’s hockey team rallied from a 3-2 deficit late in the third period to defeat No. 7 Minnesota Duluth, 4-3, in overtime, on Saturday to clinch the program’s ninth WCHA regular-season title.
Daryl Watts scored twice, including the game-winning goal during overtime, to lead the Badgers (12-3-1, 12-3-1-1-1-1 WCHA) to their fifth WCHA regular-season title in the last six years. This also marks Watts’ second OT game winner of the year.
The Badgers dominated action in the first period, outshooting UMD (11-5-0, 11-5-0-1-0-0 WCHA) 18-5, but after UW missed an opportunity on a breakaway the Bulldogs responded with a goal to take a 1-0 lead.
Watts, a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, lit the lamp to tie the game at 1-1. UMD then scored twice to increase their lead by two.
Lacey Eden netted the puck with just over two minutes left in the second period to cut UMD’s lead to one.
Brette Pettet lit the lamp with just over a minute of play left to tie the game and send it into overtime.
Watts then sealed the deal for the Badgers with her goal under one minute into the three-on-three overtime.
Three Notes of the Game:
- The Badgers won their fifth WCHA title in six seasons with the overtime win against the Bulldogs. This is the second consecutive season that Wisconsin has won the Julianne Bye Cup at Duluth.
- Watts scored three points with two goals and an assist. She leads the WCHA in points with 31.
- With two points from one goal and one assist, Eden now has 11 career points with the Badgers over 10 games.
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