Minnesota-Duluth Wins Double-Overtime Thriller for Third-Straight NCAA Title
March 23, 2003
DULUTH, Minn. - In one of the greatest women's collegiate ice hockey contests in the short history of the NCAA, Minnesota-Duluth won its third consecutive NCAA championship with a 4-3, double-overtime victory over Harvard at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, Sunday.
"We're absolutely astonished, amazed and thrilled to death to be able to win a national championship right her at home in Duluth in front of 5,000 people," exclaimed Minnesota-Duluth head coach Shannon Miller. "It's a three-peat for some people, for some it's their second and for some their first national championship. But to be able to play here at home and to win in front of a crowd like that is just absolutely amazing."
"That was certainly one of the greatest sporting events I've ever been a part of," said Katey Stone, Harvard head coach. "The crowd was tremendous and so fair. They were supportive of all of our great plays as well as all of Duluth's. I think we are very sad, but also very proud. We did everything we could to try and win this game and we came up just a little short."
The Bulldogs took a two-goal lead into the first intermission. Caroline Ouellette tapped in the game's first goal at 5:17, seconds after a Bulldog power-play expired. Ouellette hit Jenny Potter along the right boards in the neutral zone. Potter skated past the Harvard blue line and spotted Ouellette streaking past the Crimson defense. The junior threaded a pass through the defense to the stick of Ouellette for the tap in.
Hanne Sikio's slap shot on a semi-breakaway, high to the glove side of HU goaltender Jessica Ruddock, finished one of Harvard's best shifts of the period. The unassisted score came at 12:30.
The Crimson got back in the game early in the second period with two goals in the first 44 seconds. Jennifer Botterill scored unassisted at 21 seconds with a slap shot inside the far post. Then at 44 seconds, Lauren McAuliffe backhanded a shot over UMD goaltender Patricia Sautter, picking up a loose puck to even the game.
Harvard's Julie Chu had a chance to give the Crimson their first lead near nine minutes, but hit the post on a breakaway.
The Crimson did take the lead at 14:46 seconds after a Crimson power play. Nicole Corriero found room along the ice with a wrist shot past Sautter's skates.
UMD evened the game at three when Sikio scored her second of the contest. The senior stood in front of the goal line to the right of Ruddock and picked up a loose puck sitting behind the goal. Sikio grabbed it, pulled it in front and chipped it past the goaltender.
Neither team scored in the third period though with one minute left, Botterill got behind the UMD defense for a breakaway. The pass held up the forward for a split second, allowing Julianne Vasichek to backcheck and break up the play.
The teams skated a first overtime with both teams having countless chances for victory. It took a second overtime and 4:19 for the outcome to finally to finally be decided. Nora Tallus took a puck from Erika Holst 15 feet inside the left point, skated two strides and slapped the puck off the far post and past Ruddock for the national championship game-winning goal.
Miller added, "Just like last year in the final game, either team could have walked away the winner. Before the second overtime our coaching staff said, 'Whoever gets the bounce, wins the trophy', and obviously we got the bounce."
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