Minnesota's Natalie Darwitz scored a tie-breaking goal with only 1:08 left March 27 to lift the Golden Gophers over the Harvard Crimson, 4-3, in the final of the 2005 NCAA Women's Frozen Four.

The first goal came in the closing minutes of the first period after Minnesota's Krissy Wendell received an assist from Darwitz to slide the puck past Crimson goalie Ali Boe. Harvard's Jennifer Sifers responded just seconds into the second period with a goal of her own, assisted by Carrie Schroyer.

Minnesota retook the lead later in the period off a goal from Lyndsay Wall just seconds into a power play, assisted by Darwitz and Stephens. Harvard came back again as Sarah Vaillancourt, who had tallied a hat trick during the Crimson's semifinal game against St. Lawrence, shot the tying goal past Gophers goalie Jody Horak four seconds after the end of another power play. With less than two minutes remaining in the second, Minnesota's Ashley Albrecht gave the Gophers another lead, with assists from Darwitz and Wendell.

The third period was scoreless until 13:54 when Harvard's Caitlin Cahow took advantage of the waning seconds of another power play to tie the game at 3. Minnesota would not give up, and Darwitz's goal off an assist from Kelly Stephens made the score 4-3.

That tally held, giving the Gophers their second consecutive championship victory over the Crimson.

Minnesota bested Harvard despite being outshot, 26-24. Harvard also capitalized on power-play opportunities twice in five chances, and Minnesota scored once in three power-play attempts.

Scoring 11 goals in two Frozen Four games, Minnesota tied its 2004 record for most goals scored by a team in the semifinals and championship game.

The Gophers finish the season at 36-2-2 and were ranked tops in the nation for the entire season. The Crimson ended the season at 26-7-3. They finished ranked fourth in the United States College Hockey Organization poll.

Harvard has been national runner-up for the last three seasons.

The game was played at the Whittemore Center in Durham, New Hampshire, before 2,056 fans. Minnesota's Darwitz was credited with nine points in two games, a Frozen Four record. Wendell held the previous record with eight points in 2004. Darwitz was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Darwitz's performance also garnered the record for most points in a single NCAA season with 114. Harvard's Jennifer Botterill set the previous record of 112 in 2003. The men's record is held by Tony Hrkac from North Dakota, who scored 116 in 1987.

Wendell, meanwhile, picked up an honor of her own when she was presented the 2005 Patty Kazmaier Award from the USA Hockey Foundation. The award honors Wendell's performance throughout the season. The championship game featured several top 10 Kazmaier Award finalists: Harvard's Julie Chu and Nicole Corriero were both finalists, as was Minnesota's Darwitz.

With only eight penalties between both teams, the 2005 championship game posted the fifth-lowest penalty tally in Women's Frozen Four history. The Gophers also made their fourth Frozen Four appearance, another record. Minnesota had been tied with three other schools with three appearances in the national semifinals.

A Minnesota school has captured the Women's Frozen Four championship every year since its inception in 2001. Minnesota Duluth won the title the first three years of the tournament.

In the third-place game, St. Lawrence topped Dartmouth, 5-1. Rebecca Russell, a senior for the Saints, scored a hat trick to lead St. Lawrence to the win. The Saints were also the third-place team in the 2004 tournament.

Regionals

Minnesota 6, Providence 1; St. Lawrence 3, Minnesota Duluth 2; Harvard 5, Mercyhurst 4; Dartmouth 4, Wisconsin 3.

Semifinals

Harvard 4, St. Lawrence 1

First period: Harvard -- Nicole Corriero (Caitlin Cahow, Julie Chu), 6:29; Sarah Vaillancourt (Lindsay Weaver, Corriero), 10:06.

Penalties: Harvard -- Cahow (tripping), 1:32; Ashley Banfield (cross-checking), 9:17; Carrie Schroyer (interference), 16:10; Liza Solley (body checking), 18:45. St. Lawrence -- Abbie Bullard (hooking), 2:45; Laurie Ross (tripping), 5:27; Ross (interference) 9:10.

Second period: Harvard -- Vaillancourt (Cahow, Chu), 8:21; Vaillencourt (Cahow, Katie Johnston), 16:51. St. Lawrence -- Chelsea Grills (Rebecca Russell, Katie Michael) 0:31.

Penalties: Harvard -- Cahow (tripping), 2:38; Johnston (hooking) 9:15; Jennifer Sifers (hooking) 11:52. St. Lawrence -- Russell (roughing), 7:34; Sabrina Harbec (interference), 16:18; Abbie Bullard (body checking) 16:32.

Third period: No scoring.

Penalties: Harvard -- Chu (interference), 6:54; Solley (hooking), 11:45; Schroyer (cross-checking), 12:00: Jessica McKenzie (interference), 19:25. St. Lawrence -- Grills (hooking), 9:19; Tracy Muzerall (body checking), 14:37.

Saves: Ali Boe (Harvard) 16, Jess Moffat (St. Lawrence) 36.

Minnesota 7, Dartmouth 2

First period: Minnesota -- Natalie Darwitz (Kelly Stephens), 00:13; Darwitz (Krissy Wendell, Stephens), 2:12; Wendell (Darwitz), 4:50; Lyndsay Wall (Darwitz) 8:42; Stephens (Wendell), 13:12. Dartmouth - Gillian Apps, 7:23; Cherie Piper (Kat Weatherston, Bobbi Ross), 17:55.

Penalties: Minnesota -- Andrea Nichols (tripping), 5:05; Erica McKenzie (tripping) 17:11; Natalie Darwitz (obstruction/hooking), 19:50. Dartmouth -- Weatherston (checking), 7:56; Cheryl Muranko (elbowing), 12:03; Apps (high-sticking), 18:34.

Second period: No scoring.

Penalties: Minnesota -- Anya Miller (high sticking), 11:03. Dartmouth -- Kristi Anderson (roughing), 18:16.

Third period: Minnesota -- Wendell (Ross, Darwitz), 17:55; Jenelle Philipczyk (Becky Wacker, Liz Palkie), 18:56.

Penalties: Minnesota -- Ashley Albrecht (holding), 6:25. Dartmouth -- Piper (high-sticking), 10:14.

Saves: Jody Horak (Minnesota) 8, Kate Lane (Dartmouth) 17.

Third-place game

St. Lawrence 5, Dartmouth 1

First period: St. Lawrence -- Rebecca Russell (Tracy Muzerall), 10:37; Kin Kodatsky (Crystal Connors, Russell), 18:10.

Penalties: St. Lawrence -- Laurie Ross (obstruction /hooking), 1:37.

Second period: Dartmouth -- Gillian Apps (Carrie Thompson), 20:00.

Penalties: St. Lawrence -- Ross (obstruction/holding), 16:53. Dartmouth -- Thompson (contact to the head), 10:13; Meredith Batcheller (cross-checking), 11:01; Tiffany Hagge (slashing) 13:04.

Third period: St. Lawrence -- Russell (Sabrina Harbec, Emilie Berlinguette), 4:14; Harbec (Berlinguette, Russell), 8:54; Russell, 18:19.

Penalties: St. Lawrence -- Muzerall (tripping), 11:08; Annie Guay (tripping), 11:46; Casey Hughes (hooking), 15:17. Dartmouth -- Katie Weatherston (cross-checking), 3:32; Alana BreMiller (hooking), 8:43) Tiffany Hagge (10-minute misconduct) 8:43; BreMiller (checking), 18:07.

Saves: Meaghan Guckian (St. Lawrence) 25, Kate Lane (Dartmouth) 18.

Championship game

Minnesota 4, Harvard 3

First period: Minnesota -- Krissy Wendell (Natalie Darwitz), 17:24

Penalties: Minnesota -- Bobbi Ross (interference) 4:23; Ross (checking) 6:37. Harvard -- Jennifer Skinner (interference) 7:43.

Second period: Minnesota -- Lyndsay Wall (Darwitz, Kelly Stephens), 7:58; Ashley Albrecht (Wendell, Darwitz), 18:02. Harvard -- Jennifer Sifers (Carrie Schroyer), 00:46; Sarah Vaillancourt (Nicole Corriero, Julie Chu), 10:33.

Penalties: Minnesota -- Darwitz (high sticking) 9:29. Harvard -- Lindsay Weaver (high sticking), 6:18; Weaver (high sticking) 8:29.

Third period: Minnesota -- Darwitz (Stephens) 18:52. Harvard -- Caitlin Cahow (Chu, Vaillancourt), 13:54.

Penalties: Minnesota -- Chelsey Brodt (checking), 00:57; Wendell (checking), 12:28.

Saves: Jody Horak (Minnesota) 23, Ali Boe (Harvard) 20.