Ohio State beats Minnesota-Duluth in Frozen Four final for first-ever women's ice hockey national championship

Ohio State are women's Frozen Four champions at last.

The Buckeyes won the first title in program history on Sunday, defeating Minnesota-Duluth 3-2 in the championship game. Ohio State had been the tournament's top-seeded team for the first time ever as well, following the Buckeyes' first 30-plus-win regular season (31-6).

Sunday's result came in particularly crushing fashion for the unseeded Bulldogs, who last won a championship in 2010. While it was Buckeyes forward Kenzie Hauswirth credited with the game-winning score, her shot went off UMD defender Brenna Fuhrman's skate for an own-goal that fooled netminder Emma Soderberg.

Soderberg had been the Bulldogs' best player throughout the tournament, backstopping UMD to wins over Harvard (4-0), No. 2 Minnesota (2-1) and No. 3 Northeastern (2-1). She was sensational again in the final, turning in a 33-save performance.

The Buckeyes were the nation's top team for a reason, though, and they proved why again on Sunday.

After a scoreless first period, Ohio State forward Paetyn Levis had the Buckeyes on the board first with a power-play goal in the second, taking a booming hit from Naomi Rogge as she fired a puck past Soderberg.

It was Rogge who then made it 1-1 later in the middle frame off a tip of Kailee Skinner's shot in front of Amanda Thiele. Rogge was the hero for UMD in the semifinals, scoring the double-overtime game winner against Northeastern.

The third period began in dramatic fashion for both sides. Less than a minute in, Soderberg left her net to play the puck but mishandled it right back to the rushing Buckeyes, and Clair DeGeorge easily put Ohio State up 2-1.

It wouldn't last. Elizabeth Giguere responded quickly for UMD with a slick wrister over the glove of