Badgers battle past Clarkson 4-1, move on to Frozen Four
Wisconsin scored four unanswered to secure 16th Frozen Four appearance
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women’s hockey team scored four unanswered goals to earn a 4-1 victory over Clarkson Saturday in a NCAA regional final at LaBahn Arena to secure a spot in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four.
Kelly Gorbatenko recorded Wisconsin’s (36-1-2) game-winning goal after Ava Murphy secured the equalizer following a 1-0 score after the first period. Laila Edwards secured a two-goal cushion and Lacey Eden recorded an empty-net shorthanded goal to lead the Badgers past Clarkson (25-13-2).
Clarkson took the lead five minutes into the first period on a power-play tally. The Badgers outshot the Golden Knights 14-4 in the period but the game went into the first intermission with a 1-0 Clarkson lead.
Wisconsin scored two unanswered in the second period to give UW a 2-1 lead at the end of the second frame. Eleven minutes into the period, Casey O’Brien fed Murphy who found some space in the left faceoff circle and one-timed the puck top-shelf where mom hides the cookies. Gorbatenko scored one second after a Badger power play ended with 2:23 on the clock to give Wisconsin the lead. Gorbatenko charged in from the blueline and beat Clarkson netminder Holly Gruber with a tight-angle backhand.
The Wisconsin penalty killers made an impact in the third, killing off a Clarkson power play about halfway through the frame. The Badger power-play unit then turned the tides in Wisconsin’s favor, giving them a 3-1 lead. Simms sent a pass across the slot to Edwards, who was ready to send a slap shot past the right pad of Gruber.
The Badgers went back to the penalty kill with just over two minutes remaining in the third. Clarkson pulled their netminder to give them a 6-on-4 advantage. Eden managed to break free with a look on the empty net but was tripped up. The penalty was called, and by rule, the Badgers were awarded an automatic goal to secure a 4-1 victory.
Ava McNaughton made 19 saves to earn her 34th win of the season, which ranks second in school history and also leads the country. McNaughton only trails Kristen Campbell, who had 35 in the 2018-19 campaign.
