Minnesota KO's UNH, advances to title game

Bobbi Ross had four goals as Minnesota upset top-ranked New Hampshire, 5-4, last night earning a return trip to the NCAA Frozen Four title game in Minneapolis.

Ross's goal with 1:51 remaining broke a 4-4 deadlock and gave Minnesota (29-10-1) a chance to win a third NCAA championship. Minnesota plays Wisconsin tomorrow.

Jennifer Hitchcock had a goal and two assists for New Hampshire (33-3-1), which suffered its first loss since Nov. 5. The Wildcats entered the tournament on a NCAA record 29-game unbeaten streak (28-0-1).

''We knew they were quick and knew they'd present a problem for us," Wildcats coach Brian McCloskey said. ''It was a game of ebb and flow. I told my players afterward that if you want to dethrone a champion in their own building, they go down hard."

Ross scored in the opening minute of the game to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead, then made it 2-0 halfway through the opening period. The Wildcats rallied via goals by Hitchcock and Kacey Bellamy for a 2-2 tie after 20 minutes.

Nicole Goguen's goal in the second period gave the Wildcats their first lead before Ross knotted the game at 3-3 on a penalty shot.

With the Gophers on a 5-on-3 power play, Bellamy was whistled for covering the puck in the crease. Ross scored her third goal of the game by faking a forehand shot, then tucking the puck past New Hampshire goaltender Melissa Bourdon's right skate with a backhand move.

''Bobbi is cool, calm and collected under pressure, but she was hot tonight," Gophers coach Laura Halldorson said. ''It was a very emotional game, but the bottom line was we found a way to win."

Becky Wacker gave Minnesota a 4-3 lead in the third before Nicole Hekle tied the game for the Wildcats with a power-play goal.

Wisconsin 1, St. Lawrence 0 -- Tia Hanson scored 5:22 into the third period and Jessie Vetter made 27 saves for her fourth shutout of the season, leading the Badgers into the national championship game.

Hanson, the freshman forward who scored in the second overtime in Wisconsin's 2-1 victory over Mercyhurt in the regionals, stole a clearing pass at the blue line, deked around a defender, and shot the puck over goalie Jessica Moffat's right shoulder.