Whitecaps win hockey championship

The National Women’s Hockey League completed its playoffs March 17 with the Minnesota Whitecaps taking the championship 2-1 in overtime over the Buffalo Beauts in Minneapolis. Playing at the Tria Rink, the practice rink for the Minnesota Wild, the Whitecaps earned the Isobel Cup in its first year in the league.

The Whitecaps feature a number of former collegiate players from the area, including former Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjack Sadie Lundquist. In honor of Lundquist becoming the first professional women’s hockey player in CEC history, the Lumberjacks hung a banner in her honor at Northwoods Credit Union Arena last hockey season.

The Beauts scored at 17:01 of the first period. A minute and 22 seconds later the Whitecaps responded on a goal by Amy Menke and that’s how things remained until 12:49 of the first overtime, when Lee Stecklein scored on a pass from former UMD player Katie McGovern, giving the Whitecaps the win.