Skille Sends UW to Frozen Four
Wisconsin's Jake Skille, left, celebrates his game-winning goal in triple overtime with teammates in the finals of the NCAA hockey Midwest Regionals in Green Bay, Wis. |
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March 26, 2006
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Freshman Jack Skille's goal 11:13 into the third overtime propelled the No. 1 seed Wisconsin men's hockey team past Cornell 1-0 Sunday in the NCAA Midwest Regional Final at the Resch Center and into the team's first Frozen Four since 1992.
Josh Engel (Rice Lake, Wis.) sent a pass from the right side to Skille (Madison, Wis.) in the high slot, who ripped a shot past David McKee for the game's only goal 111:13 into the contest. Skille's 4-on-4goal sends the Badgers (28-10-3 overall) to the Frozen Four April 6-8 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
Junior Hobey Baker Award finalist Brian Elliott (Newmarket, Ontario) stopped 40 shots in the game to record his third straight shutout. Elliott, who was named the NCAA Midwest Regional's most valuable player, has already tied the record for most shutouts in an NCAA tournament at two and has not allowed a goal in 252:49.
Elliott was joined on the all-regional team by teammates Joe Pavelski (Plover, Wis.), Tom Gilbert (Bloomington, Minn.) and Skille.
Forward Matt Moulson and defenseman Jon Gleed represented Cornell on the all-regional team. The Big Red finished the season with a record of 22-9-4.
McKee made 59 saves as Wisconsin out-shot Cornell 60-40 in the contest.
Wisconsin's best chances to score in regulation came on a power play in the final three minutes of the third period. The Badgers fired six shots on goal during the two minute advantage, including a shot on a 2-on-1 down low by Andrew Joudrey (Bedford, Nova Scotia), but were unable to score.
The Badgers finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play while Cornell was 0-for-1.
The game marked only the third time in NCAA tournament history that a contest went to overtime scoreless. The first such game was played between Wisconsin and Ohio State two years ago to the date. The Badgers won that contest 1-0 in the first overtime.
Wisconsin takes on Maine in an NCAA semifinal April 6 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Boston College and North Dakota will meet in the other semifinal.
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