Women's hockey pregame report: (3) Gophers vs. (2) Minnesota-Duluth

Once again, the Gophers and Minnesota-Duluth will face off in the biggest game each of them has played in all year. This time it’s for a chance at a national title.

The Gophers are 5-5-1 all time in the Frozen Four, with NCAA-sanctioned titles in 2004 and 2005. Last season marked the first time Minnesota had been in the Frozen Four since 2006, but they fell to Mercyhurst 5-4 in Boston.

                    
Mercyhurst and Cornell are still playing, and are tied up 2-2 going into overtime.                  

Minnesota-Duluth comes to the 2010 Frozen Four with four national titles to its name. Bulldogs head coach Shannon Miller said in a press conference Wednesday that she didn’t feel any pressure because the talent level of her team has not been as high as in the past. She said they feel like they have nothing to lose.

Even if the Bulldogs don’t have as much talent as in previous years, they have had the Gophers’ number as of late. Minnesota has not defeated their rival since mid-October.

After their 3-2 loss to Minnesota-Duluth, Gophers sophomore Sarah Erickson was convinced that her team is capable of hanging with the Bulldogs. After falling to an early 2-0 deficit, the Gophers fought back but could not manage a victory.

But if it gets close late in the game, the Gophers will be prepared. They have competed in three overtime games in the postseason, winning each of them. Junior Emily West has been great in the clutch, and has 10 game-winning goals this season.

It may come down to the young goaltending for these teams, with Gophers freshman Noora Raty in net and freshman Jeniffer Harss in between the pipes for the Bulldogs. Raty leads the nation in save percentage, while Harss is seventh.

Follow my live blog of all the action here at mndaily.com.