For the first time in their 31-year rivalry, the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team (20-8-1, 17-6-1 Big Ten) and the Minnesota Golden Gophers will face off in a playoff championship game, this time for the Big Ten Tournament title.
Following the overtime victory over Penn State, the Badgers will face a Gopher team carrying just as much momentum, winning their semifinal game in overtime as well.
After losing the regular-season series to the Badgers 3-1, the Gophers — who are ranked higher than the Badgers in the national rankings — missed out on the first-round bye.