By winning, the Yellowjackets (22-4-1) did all they could to make an argument for being chosen for the NCAA Division III tournament. Seven teams will be chosen Tuesday, with regional games scheduled for this weekend. The Division III Frozen Four is March 14-15 at a site to be determined.

UWS is ranked No. 7 in Division III by U.S. College Hockey Online. The Yellowjackets have a 14-game unbeaten streak (13-0-1), including 12 straight wins. Their last defeat was Jan. 12 at home to River Falls 5-4.

"It's out of our hands, but when you win, that's all you can do," said UWS coach Dan Laughlin. "Now it's in the NCAA's hands."

The Yellowjackets needed a dramatic finish to make an NCAA berth a possibility. Sophomore right winger Brianne Mosher of Warroad, Minn., tied the game at 1-1 with 25 seconds remaining in regulation with an extra attacker after goalie Rikki Nespor was pulled. Stacy Anderson and Gina Baranzelli assisted on the score.

"It was really nerve-wracking," Mosher said. "I didn't actually see it [go in]. It might have been my own rebound; I just started hitting the puck all around and it eventually went it. The whole forecheck was great; I just had the easy part."

UWS looked to have won the game in regulation, with a goal in the final seconds, but replays showed that the puck crossed the goal line just after time expired.

UWS was outshot 7-6 in overtime, but the final shot, at 10:51, was all that mattered as Jamie McClintock won a faceoff to the left of River Falls goalie Cassi Campbell, and Cassan put home the game-winner.

"Jamie pushed the puck forward. I just skated in, shot and it went in five-hole," said Cassan, a freshman right winger from Medora, Manitoba. "This is very exciting. It's kind of surreal right now.

"The girls show so much character. Everybody skated their all, everybody wanted it and after the third period you could tell that we were going to pull it off."

After River Falls (16-9-2) outshot UWS 14-6 in the first period, the Falcons took a 1-0 lead 5:03 into the second period as Jenna Scanlon beat Nespor with a slap shot from the left circle. UWS led in total shots on goal 38-36.

"This wasn't our best game, but the girls didn't quit and found a way to win," Laughlin said. "In the first period we got outworked, [but] in the second period we picked it up and had our moments. We hung in there with team defense. That's what we've been preaching all along, and once again it paid off."

Nespor finished with 35 saves while Campbell had 36.

"Rikki made some big saves for us," Laughlin said. "Even the littlest saves are big in a game like this."

"I knew our team would come through," Nespor said. "This is really exciting, just knowing we may get a chance to play again."

'JACKET JOTTINGS: UW-Stevens Point won the O'Brien Cup third-place game 4-0 over Lake Forest. The Pointers had won the past four NCHA playoff titles.

UW-River Falls 0 1 0 0 -- 1

UW-Superior 0 0 1 1 -- 2

First Period: No scoring.

Second Period: 1. UWRF, Jenna Scanlon (Jessica Thompson, Brittany Erickson), 5:03.

Third Period: 2. UWS, Brianne Mosher (Stacy Anderson, Gina Baranzelli), 19:34 (6-on-5).

OT: 3. UWS, Teagan Cassan (Jamie McClintock, Shana Katz), 10:09.

Saves: Cassi Campbell, UWRF 6-11-14-5--36. Rikki Nespor, UWS 14-8-6-7--35.

Ken Olson 'The Daily Telegram' Published Sunday, March 02, 2008