Gophers Lose to Badgers in WCHA Title Game

MINNEAPOLIS Gophersports.com)  – The University of Minnesota women's hockey team fell 1-0 to top-seeded Wisconsin in the 2016 WCHA Final Face-off championship game at Ridder Arena Sunday afternoon.
Wisconsin (34-3-1) used a goal by Sydney McKibbon at the 13:12 mark of the second period to take a 1-0 lead, and the Badgers held on for the win. McKibbon poked a loose puck past Gophers netminder Amanda Leveille, who made the initial save on a shot by Sarah Nurse but could not gain control of the puck in a scramble in front of the Minnesota net.

Minnesota (32-4-1) went scoreless on four power-play opportunities and outshot Wisconsin, 35-24. Leveille finished with 23 saves while Badgers netminder Ann-Renee Desbiens made 35 saves in her fourth-straight shutout.

Gophers Amanda Kessel and Sydney Baldwin joined Wisconsin's McKibbon, Desbiens, Courtney Burke, and Emily Clark on the WCHA Final Face-off All-Tournament Team. Desbiens was named the tournament MVP.\

With the WCHA title, the Badgers earn the league's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.