Wisconsin women advance to 3rd straight national title game at Frozen Four, all against Ohio State

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patty Kaz finalist Laila Edwards recorded a hat trick to reach a nation-leading 34 goals on the season and top-seeded Wisconsin beat No. 4 seed Minnesota 6-2 on Friday night in the semifinals of the women’s Frozen Four.

Wisconsin (37-1-2) advances to a third straight national championship game on Sunday — all against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are the only team to beat the Badgers in regulation this season.

Wisconsin won all six meetings with Minnesota (29-12-1) this season — to extend its series streak to 10 games.

Edwards scored her first goal on a short-handed equalizer with 2:45 left in the first period for her 150th career point. Edwards also finished a breakaway on a backhand shot for a 5-2 lead early in the third.

Edwards buried an empty-netter with 1:19 left to break a tie with Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy for the NCAA scoring lead.

The Badgers scored three straight goals spanning the first period break to take a 3-1 lead when Kirsten Simms finished a 3-on-1 opportunity. Minnesota’s Josefin Bouveng scored less than a minute later.

Casey O’Brien put Wisconsin ahead by two goals again on a goal with two seconds left in the second to become the program’s single-season points leader at 88.

Wisconsin and Minnesota were both appearing in their 16th Frozen Four — the most in NCAA history.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey