While the University of Wisconsin women's hockey team fell one game short of its ultimate goal of a third-straight championship, it still has been selected as The Daily Cardinal's top women's team of 2007-2008.
This campaign proved to be another record-setting one for the Badgers. Riding a 26-game unbeaten streak heading into the season, Wisconsin won its first five and was undefeated in its first six, setting an NCAA record of 32-straight games unbeaten.
By Nov. 3, however, Wisconsin had doubled its loss total from the previous year, when it lost just one game. The Badgers' second loss of the season against Minnesota began a month-long stretch into the beginning of December that saw Wisconsin go 1-5-1, being swept at the hands of Minnesota Duluth and New Hampshire and tying lowly Bemidji State 0-0.
As expected, Wisconsin recovered, winning 14 of its next 16 games to close out the regular season.
In its final regular season series, the Badgers became the only team to beat Minnesota at Ridder Arena, winning the first game 5-1 and tying the second 2-2 on Feb. 23 and 24.
After sweeping Minnesota State in the opening round of the WCHA Playoffs, the Badgers beat Minnesota at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center in Duluth, Minn., in the WCHA semifinals before falling to Minnesota Duluth in overtime in the conference championship game.
Following a widely questioned NCAA Tournament selection process, the Badgers found themselves heading to Minnesota to face the Golden Gophers in the NCAA quarterfinals. Many expected Wisconsin to face higher-ranked New Hampshire, but the Badgers happily accepted a game against a Gopher team they had beaten three times in lieu of a battle with a New Hampshire team that swept the Badgers earlier in the season.
Heading into the third period at Ridder Arena, Wisconsin's season seemed up in the air after Gopher freshman forward Emily West scored with one second left in the second period to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead.
Badger freshman forward Hilary Knight responded with her 20th and most-important goal of the season 14 seconds into the third period to tie the game.
After thwarting a 3-on-1 rush at the end of the third period, Wisconsin senior forward Jinelle Zaugg sent the Badgers to the Frozen Four 1:29 into the lone overtime period. Zaugg did the same in the previous season's quarterfinals against the Harvard Crimson, scoring the only goal in a four-overtime victory.
It was those Crimson, sporting only one loss, that Wisconsin faced in this season's NCAA Frozen Four semifinals at Duluth's DECC.
Trailing 1-0 after one period, the Badgers unleashed a furious offensive attack, scoring three goals in the first seven minutes of the second period en route to a 4-1 victory. Junior goaltender Jessie Vetter made 33 saves for the Badgers, adding to her impressive tournament resumé. Zaugg added to her school record for goals scored with her 88th and 89th career tallies.
Wisconsin's run ended two days later in the NCAA Frozen Four finals against a familiar foe in Duluth, as the Badgers could find no answer for the Bulldogs' consistent offensive pressure and the excellent goaltending of sophomore Kim Martin. Duluth denied Wisconsin's bid for a third straight championship, shutting down the Badgers 4-0.
With the likes of Vetter, junior forward Erika Lawler, sophomore forward Meghan Duggan, and promising freshmen forwards Knight and Mallory Deluce returning next season, expect to see the Badgers once again as serious contenders in 2008-'09.
