DURHAM, New Hampshire -- Sophomore center Tricia Guest scored with 4:56 remaining in the third period to lead Minnesota-Duluth to its second consecutive national title, edging Brown, 3-2, in the championship game of the Women's Frozen Four. A crowd of 3,102 watched the game at the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore Center March 24.

Guest, who also added an assist on the Bulldogs' first goal of the night, picked up a loose puck just inside the Brown zone along the boards, skated toward the middle before letting loose a shot that beat Bears netminder Pam Dreyer low between the pads for the game-winner.

"I think it was apparent to everyone in the building that either team could have won that game and walked away with the national championship," said Minnesota-Duluth coach Shannon Miller.

Tied at 1-1 after one period, the Bulldogs moved ahead, 2-1, on a goal by Erika Holst at 11:09 of the second period. Laurie Alexander sent a pass from along the left boards to Holst, who beat Dreyer through the pads from a sharp angle.

Kristy Zamora, the tournament's most outstanding player, answered with her second goal of the night at 13:59 of the period for Brown (25-8-2).

With the teams skating four a side, Jessica Link sent a pass down the right wing to linemate Kerry Nugent, who found Zamora breaking down the slot. The senior winger beat Sautter over the left shoulder for her team-leading 35th goal of the year. Sautter kept it that way for Minnesota-Duluth when she stonewalled the Bears' Meredith Ostrander from point-blank range late in the second period and then stopped Brown winger Katie Guay on a clean breakaway attempt with 10:06 left in the third.

The two teams traded goals in an back-and-forth first period. Zamora gave Brown the lead with her 34th goal of the year at 11:26. Minnesota-Duluth answered with Kristina Petrovskaia's tally at 13:11.

Sautter finished with 33 saves, including 16 stops in the final period, in earning her 15th win of the season. Dreyer stopped 28 shots in taking the loss. The Bears outshot Minnesota-Duluth, 34-31, including 27-17 over the final two periods.

The title was the second straight for the Bulldogs (24-6-4), who defeated St. Lawrence, 4-2, in the first Frozen Four title game last year in Minnesota.

This year's title had a significantly different hue to it -- gold.

As a symbol of team unity, the players from Minnesota-Duluth dyed their hair.

When asked about her intentions to follow in the footsteps of her players, Miller said she would consider it before the tournament. When the coach showed up after pregame warm-ups and walked into the locker room with her normally jet-black hair professionally dyed blond, the players cheered.

"I think it took the edge off. They were laughing and joking," chuckled Miller. "Three weeks ago, we talked about what it would take to get here and to be successful, and we talked about three things: courage, self-sacrifice, and we gotta have some fun. When they dyed their hair, I said, 'Wow, that took a lot of courage.' They said to me, 'Well, what about you?'

"So the bottom line was, they've been playing with courage, self-sacrifice and fun, so why not dye my hair? It's about team chemistry."

In the semifinals, Minnesota-Duluth defeated Niagara, 3-2, and Brown edged Minnesota, 2-1, in hard-fought games that went down to the wire. Niagara and Minnesota settled for a 2-2 tie in the third-place game.

Named to the all-tournament team were Joanne Eustace and Larissa Luther of Minnesota-Duluth, Ostrander of Brown, Kelly Stephens of Minnesota and Tania Pinelli of Niagara.

Kazmaier award

Northeastern's Brooke Whitney won the 2002 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given annually to the outstanding women's hockey player at the Division I level.

"This is such a tremendous honor," said Whitney. "It's such a great honor, knowing all the talent that is out there throughout the nation."

Whitney, who led the Huskies in scoring with 56 points on 32 goals and 24 assists, was named the most valuable player in the Eastern College Athletic Conference East for leading the Huskies to a second-place finish and an appearance in the league's title game. She ranks fourth in career scoring at Northeastern.

SEMIFINALS

Minnesota-Duluth 3, Niagara 2

First period: M -- Jenny Hempel (Joanne Eustace, Maria Rooth), 2:57.

Penalties: M -- Hanne Sikio (hooking), 8:01; N -- Candace Moxley (body checking), 18:13.

Second period: N -- Valerie Hall (Barbara Prall), 6:02; M -- Larissa Luther (Sikio, Ericka Holst), 16:56.

Penalties: M -- Julianne Vasichek (interference), :53; N -- Amanda Reid (slashing), 15:38.

Third period: M -- Eustace (Vasichek), 8:02; N -- Teresa Marchese-Del Monte (unassisted), 14:00.

Penalties: M -- Vasicheck (holding), :38; N -- Linda Groff (roughing), 6:40.

Shots on goal: Minnesota-Duluth -- 16-18-9 -- 43; Niagara -- 3-11-6 -- 20. Saves: Minnesota-Duluth -- Patricia Sautter, 3-10-5-18; Niagara -- Tania Pinelli, 15-17-8-40. Penalties: Minnesota-Duluth -- 3 for 6 min.; Niagara -- 3 for 6 min. Referee: Bob Ritchie. Assistant referees: Kelli O'Brian and Lisa Schlatter. A -- 2,051.