Box Score MADISON, Wis. --- Minnesota State pushed Wisconsin to the brink but ultimately was unable to top the second-rated Badgers as it fell, 2-0, in the final game of a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series at LaBahn Arena Sunday evening.
 
The Mavericks' season comes to an end with a 13-23-1 overall record, while the Badgers improve to 27-6-2 and will compete in the WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF next weekend at Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
 
Senior Kari Lundberg (Woodbury, Minn.) set the program record for career games played when she took the ice for the 143rd time with the Mavericks.
 
The ice sheet was nearly dead even in a scoreless first period as both teams had periods of sustained pressure in the offensive zone with the Badgers owning a slight edge in shots at 7-6.
 
Wisconsin entered the second intermission with a 1-0 lead after junior Blayre Turnbull lit the lamp at 5:27. Turnbull fired a shot that ricocheted off the left post before deflecting off the pad of senior goaltender Danielle Butters (London, Ont.) and trickling across the goal line.
 
Senior Courtney Burke provided Wisconsin with a two-goal lead it would not relinquish at 8:59 of the third period with a wrist shot from the high slot that navigated through traffic and beat Butters on the right side. Minnesota State launched 10 shots at senior netminder Alex Rigsby in the period but was unable to find twine.
 
Butters recorded a game-high 34 saves for the Mavericks, while Rigsby totaled 21 for the Badgers who did not score on the game's lone power-play which was awarded with 10 seconds left in regulation.
 
The contest marks the final game for eight Maverick seniors, while the Purple and Gold's 13 wins this season and the highest in head coach Eric Means' tenure and most in program history since 2006-07.