Women's Frozen Four 2012: Minnesota Golden Gophers Win Championship

While plenty of headlines have been focused on the Minnesota Golden Gophers making the 2012 Frozen Four and facing Boston University in NCAA hockey's biggest showdown, the Gophers have quietly seen a championship get delivered from a different source, the ladies hockey squad.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Women's hockey squad won the the NCAA Championship thanks to a 4-2 win over the defending national champions, the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers spent the entire season at the top of the NCAA rankings with the Gophers right behind, so it was a showdown of the best two women's teams in the country and the Gophers came out on top.

Co-Captain Sarah Erickson scored two goals in the final game to boost the team, and goaltender Noora Raty earned her title of 'Frozen Four Outstanding Player' by making a whopping 42 saves, including 20 in the third period. This was the first title by the Gophers since they won two in a row between 2004 and 2005.

Time will tell if the Gophers male squad will be able to replicate the same success and deliver Minnesota a double salvo of hockey trophies in 2012. It would certainly make up for any hard feelings left from a disappointing season by the basketball squad.

For more on the Minnesota Golden Gophers across the spectrum of all sports, check out The Daily Gopher.