DULUTH – Wisconsin center Casey O'Brien snagged the rebound from a big bounce off the boards and backhanded a pass to winger Sarah Wozniewicz, who popped it past Minnesota goalie Hannah Clark.

The goal, with just 25 seconds remaining in the third period, cracked open a tie game and the top-ranked Badgers edged the Gophers 4-3, claiming their second consecutive WCHA Frozen Faceoff title Saturday at Amsoil Arena.

"It's a typical Minnesota-Wisconsin game," Badgers coach Mark Johnson said. "It was back and forth, both goaltenders made a bunch of different key saves for each team and, you know at the end we ended up making a big play when [Wozniewicz] put it in the back of the net with like 30 seconds to go, and that's the difference in the game."

The Badgers (35-1-2), unbeaten since a loss against Ohio State in mid-November, also won the regular-season conference title. They head into the NCAA tournament with a 24-game unbeaten streak.

"I like what happened this weekend," Johnson said. "I like getting a second game just because it's going to provide something. If you win it, it's a great experience."

And if you lose, he said, it helps get you organized for the next game.

Wisconsin scored the game's first goal midway through the first period. Kirsten Simms intercepted the puck and skated in toward the Gophers' net. When Clark dropped, she made a quick pass to O'Brien, who scored.

The Gophers (28-11-1) responded only 20 seconds later when winger Allie Franco scored from just a couple of strides off the blue line. They added another when Josefin Bouveng skated in alone on Wisconsin goalie Ava McNaughton and easily put it past her.

The Badgers scored back-to-back goals in the second period to regain the lead. First, Vivian Jungels centered up in front of the net and scored, then Maggie Scannell skated through the Gophers' defense and put in a backhanded goal.

The Gophers' Natalie Mlynkova tied it at 3-3 with a power-play goal stuffed into the corner of the net with less than a minute left in the second period.

"They left it out there," Gophers coach Brad Frost said. "There is not much more you can ask for as a coach."

Wisconsin swept the Gophers in a February series, winning 8-2 and 6-1.

Mlynkova said she still thinks the Gophers, ranked fourth, can beat the Badgers. "I truly believe that," she said.

Last season, the Badgers won the conference tournament title with a victory over Ohio State — but then the Buckeyes rebounded by beating the Badgers at the NCAA Frozen Four in Durham, N.H.

The Gophers had an offensive sprint to get to this game. They scored six unanswered goals, including two on power plays and one long-range empty-netter, to ease past Ohio State 6-2 on Friday. Wisconsin, which averages upward of five goals a game, was stalled but not stopped by Minnesota Duluth in Friday's semifinal. The Badgers won 3-1 on the Bulldogs' home ice.

All four WCHA semifinalists are expected to land berths in the NCAA tournament when the 11-team field is announced Sunday morning.