MADISON — KK Harvey scored with 20.9 seconds on the clock to tie the game and Cassie Hall potted her second of the game just 12.3 seconds later to help the top-ranked Wisconsin women’s hockey team escape with a 4-3 win early Saturday.
Both goals were scored on the power play that came as a result of a coach’s challenge from Mark Johnson. Initially uncalled on the ice, officials assessed a five minute major to Rae Mayer for contact to the head, putting Wisconsin on the power play for the final 2:09 of regulation and, Johnson hoped, giving his team a 4-on-3 advantage for several minutes in overtime.
“(Assistant coach) Jackie (Crum) and I were trying to figure out what personnel we were going to start overtime with. You’re trying to stay a step ahead, knowing that in most games, 20 seconds is going to go by and we’re going to go into overtime,” he said.
It turned out his forward thinking wasn’t needed as Hall ended the game in regulation – her second goal of the game.
It was a chaotic end to a chippy, physical game that had nine other penalties but no power play goals before the final 21 seconds.
After a fast-paced, back and forth first period, Minnesosta Duluth got on the board first as Thea Johansson took advantage of a fumbled puck by the Badgers along the boards and quickly skated in to snipe a shot past Ava McNaughton. The Bulldogs took that 1-0 lead into the intermission despite being outshot 15-5.
Wisconsin tied the game early in the second when UMD goalie Ève Gascon seemed to get stuck in indecision with the puck behind the net. Kirsten Simms forced a turnover and tucked the puck into the empty net to tie the game 1-1.
The Bulldogs looked like they were going to take another lead on a pipoint outlet pass from Krista Parkkonen that ended with a Grace Sadura shot off the post. The Badgers immediately turned the tide, picking up the loose puck and taking it the other way. Lacey Eden’s pass through the crease found Hall at the back post for a tap in to give Wisconsin the 2-1 lead with under four to play in the second.
UMD’s Caitlin Kraemer took a penalty for holding early in the third, but her teammates killed the penalty and found her just after she exited the penalty box. She took it alone and sniped a shot from above the circles to tie the game 2-2.
Molly Cole gave Minnesota Duluth a 3-2 lead near the midpoint of the frame when Wisconsin left her alone and unmarked in front of the net. Her first shot on a feed from behind the net by Zoe Crock was stopped but she put back her own rebound to make it 3-2 game.
Gascon was outstanding throughout the game, but no more than in the final frame where UW peppered her with 22 shots. The Bulldogs were stellar overall on defense, keeping the Badgers to the outside and cleaning up pucks in front of Gascon. The goalie ended the game with 45 saves.
Wisconsin pushed for an equalizer as time wound down, but it was the coach’s challenge that proved to be the turning point. Gascon made seven saves and her team added two blocks on the power play before Harvey was able to put back a rebound from the high slot. Minnesota Duluth challenged for offsides, but it was ruled the puck did not exit the zone, tying the game 3-3.
Off the ensuing faceoff, Gascon saved the initial shot from Kelly Gorbatenko, but the puck came out front where Maggie Scannell was able to one-time it toward the far faceoff circle. Hall had her back to the net, but took one touch, turned and wristed it past Gascon to win the game for Wisconsin.
“It started with the face-off win, and then KK (Harvey) brought it in. We had another opportunity from Kelly, the goalie made a kick save. I just happened to be standing there, and I kind of just took the puck, turned and shot,” said Hall.
The two goals today give her a total of five through five games, tying her with Simms for the team lead. Hall, who has been blocked a bit on the depth chart in her first two seasons, seems primed to have a breakout season. She’s already showing out to start the season and the Badgers will be looking to her to step into a bigger role as six different players spend time away from the program in camps and at the Milan Olympics in February.
“I think I’m definitely taking on a bigger role this season on this team. With that comes confidence. I think my confidence has gone up, especially this week being one of those leaders (with the Olympic players gone at camp,” Hall said.
“Just having confidence is what I’m really banking on for this year, and taking on that bigger role. I’m holding the puck for longer, making smarter plays, knowing I have time and space, and taking it.”
Though they did pull off the last-second win, the Badgers may have suffered a big loss as senior Laila Edwards was injured at the end of the second period. It appeared she made knee-to-knee contact with a Bulldog and she struggled both to get off the ice and leave the bench area and head to the locker room. A Patty-Kazmaier top-three finalist and last year’s national scoring champion, Edwards has been spending time at defense with Wisconsin to help her prepare with the Olympics as she’s been moved to defense on Team USA. Early reports were that Edwards suffered an MCL injury in her left knee.
The teams will face each other again on Sunday with puck drop scheduled for 1 pm central airing on BTN+.