MINNEAPOLIS - The Boston College women's hockey team gave the number one team in the nation all they could handle but it wasn't enough as the Minnesota Golden Gophers advanced to the national championship game with a 3-2 win in overtime.
Corinne Boyles stopped 36 shots for the Eagles including multiple point blank chances to drop to 22-5-1 this season. Noora Raty turned aside 26 shots for the Gophers.
Playing in front of a Minnesota partisan crowd, the Eagles looked to weather an early storm as they carried the play in the early going. Emily Field and Haley Skarupa each had great bids from the slot but Raty smothered their chances. Caitlin Walsh found herself at the doorstep but her top shelf bid found the crossbar as the Eagles continued to storm the Gophers end. Both squads were perfect on the penalty kill as the first period ended scoreless.
The Gophers had their jump early in the second period as the found the post behind Boyles but the senior netminder did her share as she made several brilliant stops to keep Minnesota off the scoreboard.
The Eagles struck first on the power play at 18:13 as Field caught Raty out of position and buried her 16th goal of the season. Boyles turned away a late Gophers push with two strong saves as BC took a 1-0 lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.
Minnesota knotted the game early in the third as Hannah Brandt tipped in a shot from the point on the power play. The Gophers continued to tilt the action towards the BC goal but Boyles was equal to the task. With under eight minutes to play, Minnesota took the lead as Becky Kortum put home a rebound with 7:48 remaining. The Eagles answered right back as Lexi Bender's third goal of the season on a rebound knotted the game at two. Both teams pushed for the winning goal as time ran out but regulation was not enough time to decide this one.
Sarah Davis buried a loose puck into an open net just 1:39 into overtime to give the Gophers the win.
Team Records: Minnesota 40-0-0; Boston College 27-7-3
Game Notes: BC falls to 0-4 all-time at the Frozen Four ...the Eagles enjoyed their most successful season in team history - notching 27 wins ... Power Plays: Minnesota 1-3, BC 1-3.