Before the storybook finish, before all this talk of a dynasty, there was an emotional gathering behind closed doors that changed the world.
The University of Wisconsin womenâ??s hockey team wasnâ??t playing terribly in early February, but a 1-1-2 stretch suggested there was something wrong and it needed to be fixed.
So UW coach Mark Johnson talked to his veterans and implored them to get everyone back in line. That led to a post-practice, players-only meeting at their Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center headquarters.
â??It was definitely heart-to-heart,â? junior winger and co-captain Meghan Duggan said. â??It was an open floor. There were a lot of tears shed because itâ??s emotional. And weâ??re girls, obviously.
â??We just decided right then and there we were going to win the national championship, almost. From then on out we were unstoppable.â?