MINNEAPOLIS – It’s been a season of firsts for the Colgate women’s hockey team. On Friday night at Ridder Arena, they added another.
For the first time in program history, the Colgate Raiders are headed to the national championship after a 4-3 victory in double overtime over the No. 2/2 Wisconsin Badgers.
Breanne Wilson-Bennett, who recorded her first career hat trick in the win, played a part in each of the Raider goals. Wilson-Bennett capped off her hat trick as she scored the game-winning goal with 3:57 remaining in the second overtime. The Markham, Ontario, native lugged the puck into the offensive zone and fired a shot past Wisconsin goaltender Kristen Campbell to power the Raiders to the win.
The goal marked Wilson-Bennett’s 100th career point, making her the ninth player in program history to reach the 100-point milestone. Earlier in the game, Megan Sullivan became the eighth player in program history to do so with an assist on Wilson-Bennett’s second goal.
Wilson-Bennett’s winner ended the second-33103longest game in Frozen Four history with a time of 96:03. The puck dropped at 7:51 p.m. Central time and Wilson-Bennett netted the game-winner at 11:36 p.m.
Julia Vandyk was masterful in net, finishing the game with 45 saves to set a career high. Vandyk made 15 season-extending saves over the course of both overtime periods, nearly all of which were excellent looks for the Badgers.
Colgate never trailed throughout the contest despite Wisconsin responding to every Raiders goal.
Wilson-Bennett opened the scoring on a wrist shot from the right circle that found the back of the net with 3:17 left in the first period.
Wisconsin’s Baylee Wellhausen scored 6:22 into the second period to even things up at 1-1.
The Raiders answered with a goal on Sullivan’s sho33104t that deflected off Wilson-Bennett’s stick and into the back of the net, putting the Raiders up 2-1.
The Badgers followed that with a goal just over six and a half minutes into the third period to even things at 2-2.
Jessie Eldridge snuck the puck through Campbell’s five-hole to give the Raiders the 3-2 lead with 5:47 to go in the third period, but Wisconsin responded once more 2:23 later to force overtime with the score tied, 3-3.
Despite being outshot 15-7 over the course of both overtime periods, the Raiders were able overcome Wisconsin’s offensive attack thanks to solid defense and strong play between the pipes.
BOTTOM LINE
Colgate 4, Wisconsin 3 (2OT)
WIN-LOSS RECORD
The Raiders improved to 34-5-1 on the year,
while the Badgers finished the season with a 31-5-2 record
KEY RAIDER INFO33106
-Colgate makes its first National Championship game appearance with the win over Wisconsin
-The Raiders’ trip to the Frozen Four is the first in program history
FACTS AND FIGURES
-Wilson-Bennett recorded just the seventh hat trick in NCAA Women’s Frozen Four history and she is the 15th player to record at least four points
-She had the first hat trick in a Frozen Four game since Minnesota’s Bobbi Ross scored four goals vs. New Hampshire 12 years ago on March 24, 2006
-It was also the first four-point performance in a Frozen Four in five years since Minnesota’s Amanda Kessel achieved the feat on March 24, 2013
-Friday night’s game was the second longest in Frozen Four history and the longest semifinal game
-It was Colgate’s first double overtime game in its Division I era and longest game since going to three overtimes back in its Division III days in 2001
-Wilson-Bennett’s hat trick was the first of her career as she set career-highs in both goals and points (4) in a game
-She also recorded her 100th career point in the victory (49 goals and 51 points)
-In the process, Wilson-Bennett now has 40 points this 33107season; she’s the second Raider to do so, joining Eldridge also from this season
-Vandyk finished with a career-high 45 saves and had the fifth-most saves in a game in Frozen Four history
-15 of Vandyk’s 45 saves came in the overtime periods
-Sullivan also recorded her 100th career point in the victory with a pair of assists
-Eldridge recorded a goal and an assist for a two-point performance
-Her 22 goals this season are tied for the second-most in a season in program history
-Perry tied the program record for assists in a season with her 25th of the year
-Zafuto tallied a pair of assists to give her 32 points this season, the most among defenders on the team
-Wildfang picked up her 30th point of the season with an assist as she reached the 30-point mark for the first time in her career
-Colgate now has eight players with 30-plus points this season
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Greg Fargo
“Well first of all, I want to congratulate Wisconsin on a great year, great hockey game. Looking back on it, it was everything that we thought it was going to be. Two really good teams going head to head and a lot of excitement on both ends. We are excited to be in this position and to be playing on Sunday.”
On seven wins in a season four years ago to now…
“This group of seven seniors — we brought them in and you could see that things were changing with them. It didn’t result in wins but it was them doing all of the right things day in and day out and not wavering from that. More than ever, we had the right people at the right time for our program.”
On having two eastern teams in the final game…
“As Bre said, I think it’s outstanding for our league. The WCHA is a good league too, they have been well represented here over the years, but it speaks to the parity in women’s hockey and the game today. Our game is getting better year in and year out, and it’s great to be a part of that growth. We will continue to see even more 33108different teams in the final as years come down the road.”
Breanne Wilson-Bennett
On the game-winning goal…
“Honestly, it’s all a blur right now. I just shot the puck, and there was good traffic in front of the net, and it happened to squeak in.”
On managing emotions during the game…
“All year we’ve had ups and downs. We tried to keep calm on the bench. The coaching staff and veteran players tried to be that voice in our ear telling us to keep your head down, stay focused, do your thing. The game plan is always the same no matter if we’re high or low. We just try and do what we do, and that’s brought us success so far, so we’re going to try and stick with that plan.”
On two Eastern teams making the championship game…
“It speaks to the competition in our league. I may be a little biased here but I think we’re the best conference out there. We’ve fought a hard season, had a great season, and the competition within our league has gotten us to where we are now.”
On whether she could imagine this type of success during the seven-win season her freshman year…
“When I committed, Coach Fargo had a plan. I bought in.33109 He looked me in the eye and told me this is where we’re going to be eventually. The seven seniors on this team, all of us jumped on board. We believed in him and he believed in us, and he’s put together this awesome group of girls. He had a vision and we’re just putting it into action.”
UP NEXT
Colgate and Clarkson meet in the national championship game Sunday afternoon at Ridder Arena, with puck drop set for 3 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Central. Sunday’s national championship Game is the first between two ECAC Hockey teams.
