With one quarter of its position players unavailable, the No. 2 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team took to the ice in Madison, Wisc. having spent the week talking about the players it wouldn't have on Saturday.

What the remaining Bulldog squad possessed was an immeasurable amount of heart.   Behind 43 saves from sophomore goaltender Maddie Rooney, UMD earned an incredible 1-1 tie with the top-ranked University of Wisconsin in front of a sold-out Badger crowd at LaBahn Arena.

"What a great showing by our team today," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "We battled, we played hard and gritty, and we tied the No. 1 team in the country without four of our top players.  I couldn't be more proud of our players and staff for the way we prepared all week, and the way we showed up today."

Missing forwards Lara Stalder, Katerina Mrázová and Reagan Haley, as well as defensemen Jessica Healey and Jalyn Elmes,  (and 33% of UMD's goal production), the Bulldogs battled the Badgers to two scoreless periods.  After being outshot 19-7 in the first period, UMD held its own in the second period at an even 9-9.

Wisconsin took the game's only lead midway through the third period on a goal from Sarah Nurse at the 9:17. But the Bulldogs were undeterred, and at 14:38 mark, Sydney Brodt buried the equalizer for her fifth goal of the season, with assists credited to Sidney Morin and Catherine Daoust.

From there the Bulldogs refused to bend.  Wisconsin outshot UMD 11-5 in the third period, and then 5-1 in the five minute overtime. The Bulldogs were even forced to fend off a late Wisconsin power play with 2:37 remaining in overtime, but the Badgers never found another way to get past Rooney and her UMD teammates.

With the 1-1 tie officially in the books and UMD's overall record of 20-4-5 and 17-4-3-1 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action cemented, the Bulldogs and Badgers battled to the longest league shootout in UMD program history, and second-longest in the WCHA history.  After 12 rounds, Wisconsin finally picked up the extra point in the conference standings, and now have an overall record of 26-2-1 and 22-1-1-2 in the WCHA.

Rooney finished the game with 43 saves, the fifth-most of her career and third game against Wisconsin this season with 43 or more stops.  Badger netminder Ann-Renee Desbiens had 21 saves, who outshot UMD 44-22 in the skate.

The Bulldogs and Badgers will finish up their 1 vs. 2 series tomorrow at 12:07 p.m. at LaBahn.

BULLDOG NOTES:   Ashleigh Brykaliuk's 19-game scoring streak came to an end Saturday, leaving the senior forward with an incredible 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points over that span, the second-longest in UMD history … Maddie Rooney has made 42 or more saves on four occasions this season, and all four times have come against the nation's No. 1 or No. 2 team … The Bulldogs are now 1-1-1 against the top-ranked Badgers this season, and 6-3-4 against ranked teams … UMD is also now 3-3-1 against teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2.