2025 WCHA Final Faceoff Semis Roundup

Well, we made it to the semis where four of the six nationally ranked programs would be facing off for a spot in the conference final on Saturday.

Let's get started!

No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 4 Minnesota Duluth

In this matchup we have two of the three WCHA Goaltender of the Year finalists in net with Gascon named the winner yesterday so it begs the question, would this game become a goalie duel? No! Because less than three minutes into the game, Grace Sadura, who’s been on a hot streak, finds the back of the net on the first shot on goal for an early 1-0 Duluth lead.

Almost three minutes later, Laney Potter set up Kelly Gorbatenko in front of the net for the equalizer. The period ended tied at one.

Things were actually pretty even in the first period. Both teams were playing well and had only given up a goal. The biggest difference though was Wisconsin ended the first period with 13 shots on goal and Duluth only had three. But what helped UMD the most was the six blocked shots in the first period that help slow down Wisconsin.

It was a quiet second period for both teams as the goalies settled down. Rookie Caitlin Kraemer had a good chance 12 minutes in but she was stopped by McNaughton.

Then with less than five minutes left in the period, Caroline Harvey found the back of the net for the Badgers for the go-ahead goal. She skated in at the right time to get this one to go for her 130th career point. One thing I heard on the broadcast that I liked was that good things happen when KK Harvey is on the ice and that couldn't be truer!

The second ended with a 2-1 Badgers lead.

In the third, Duluth had chances especially on the penalty kill. This is the same team that recorded seven shorthanded goals so far this season and Kraemer almost made it eight on breakaway chance but McNaughton stopped her. A few minutes after that, Olivia Mobley had a chance on a one timer but McNaughton stopped that one too. The Bulldogs couldn't get a goal to go. With six minutes left Wisconsin took a penalty which gave Duluth another chance on special teams to try to tie the game. That was going to be a tall task since the Badgers' penalty kill sits at a solid 85% which UMD couldn't solve.

Wisconsin finished off the game with a minute left in the game as Emma Venusio's first career collegiate goal. What a moment for Venusio!

The Badgers went on to win 3-1. It was their second consecutive come from behind game against Duluth, they did the same the last time these teams met in the regular season on Feb. 1. Minnesota Duluth played a great game but they went head on with a Badgers team that again has only lost one game this entire season. If it's worth anything, Wisconsin averages 5.56 goals scored per game average so only allowing three means the defense did well in shutting them down and that's not nothing!

The Badgers would now have to wait to find out their opponent, would they face the Buckeyes for the second straight final or would a new opponent await them?

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Minnesota

Game two of the semis included two stacked teams and two talented goaltenders but the story in Minnesota's 6-2 win was the offense. 

The first period got off to a roaring start, two minutes into the game, Jocelyn Amos scored for an early 1-0 Ohio State lead. Like the previous game, the first shot on goal was converted to a goal. I said in the preview that Amos is arguably one of the best forwards in the conference not on the Wisconsin team and I still think I am right.

In the middle of the period the Buckeyes were able to extend their lead to two goals. Joy Dunne shot at the net and missed but managed to get the rebound and found an opening to score. Buckeyes with a 2-0 lead early.

We're still in the first period and two of Ohio State's best players already scored. If you were like me you expected this to continue, but something changed in the last six minutes of the period. The Buckeyes kept taking penalties and Minnesota made them pay for it.

Abbey Murphy tallied her 100th career goal as a Gopher thanks to a sweet pass by Sydney Morrow who found Murphy all alone to score and cut the deficit to one. 

A few minutes later, the Gophers were on the power play once again and they took advantage. Murphy shot a one timer that went off the post but Ella Huber was able to score on the rebound to tie the game at two late, on her 15th goal of the season. The period ended tied at one.

Eight minutes into the second period. Audrey Wethington and Natálie Mlýnková link up on a give and go and Wethington scores the go-ahead goal for the Gophers. That’s Wethington’s fifth goal of the season and she’s scoring them when it matters most during the playoffs.

Minnesota continued their offensive burst with Ava Lindsay for her 50th career point. She scored in back-to-back series now for a two goals Gophers lead. That’s the second straight even strength goal after scoring the first two of the game on the power play.

Ohio State still had time and wasn’t going away quietly. They had two chances in the final minute and a half of the period but weren’t able to get on the board.

The period ended with a score of 4-2 in favor of Minnesota.

The third period saw one of the most important chances for Ohio State to get back into the game. The Gophers took two penalties back-to-back which led to a 5-on-3 power play for the Buckeyes. They weren’t able to convert on any of the chances both on the two player advantage and on the power play so the score stayed the same.

Five minutes after that, Murphy scored her second goal of the night after a battle to score in front of the net and she succeeded to put this one away for Minnesota before Chloe Primerano added the sixth unanswered goal of the night for the Gophers who win this game, 6-2.

This was not what I was expecting out of this game to be honest but it was a great game to watch if you love fun hockey!

Minnesota will face Wisconsin in a postseason version of the border battle in tomorrow’s championship game at 2 PM.

See you then!