The No. 4 Badger women's hockey team (7-4-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 11-4-1 overall) skated right alongside No. 1 Minnesota (12-0-2, 14-0-2) as they hosted a weekend series at the Kohl Center. Minnesota took the first game of the series with a 2-0 shutout. However, Wisconsin came back for the second game and tied the defending national champions 3-3.
Wisconsin was successful on the penalty kill in game two of the series, stopping eight of the 10 advantages given to Minnesota. Two Minnesota power plays in the overtime period threatened to be tie-breakers, however Badger junior goaltender Meghan Horras stopped all five of the shots on goal in the extra session.
\It's tough playing shorthanded anyhow, but then to see it in overtime, especially against Minnesota-it made me a little nervous. But less so than previous kills because the team was just playing so well,"" Horras said. ""They were blocking everything, they weren't letting anything by.""
The power play is a Minnesota specialty, and the Badger execution on the penalty kill was exactly what the Badgers had hoped for. Though being shorthanded is an unfavorable position, Head Coach Mark Johnson recognized the Badger's strong execution on the penalty kill.
""We did a very good job,"" Johnson said. ""Unfortunately, you don't want to take 10 penalties and put yourself behind the eight ball but you know we responded and did a really good job and it's a big plus for us.""
Wisconsin had 10 total penalties in the game, including two in the overtime period, giving the team a disadvantage for the majority of the period. Because of the disadvantage, the Badgers were not able to get off a single shot in overtime, but successfully defended the goal to secure the tie.
The Badgers came out strong for the first game, prepared to meet the No. 1-ranked team. However Minnesota quickly picked up steam and matched the intensity to take the win. Although the Badger offense somewhat suffered in the first game, the defensive effort put forth by Wisconsin put up quite a fight against the Minnesota offense. The Gophers average 6.2 goals per game, and Wisconsin was able to hold them to only two.
""They're very strong defensively and it was tough for us to get loose,"" Minnesota Head Coach Laura Halldorson said. ""We didn't create the offensive chances that we're able to create in a lot of our games and that's a credit to the way Wisconsin plays defense.""
The Badgers will use this weekend as a realization of the game they can play and the intensity they can bring to the ice.
""What we take away from it is that we were able to skate with them, we were able to defend against them. Today we showed that we can score some goals against them,"" Johnson said. ""Our whole theme with things is [to] try to get better after a weekend and prepare ourselves for next weekend as we go to Mankato.""
The Badgers gained one point in the WCHA standings and remain in third place, now 11 points behind the league-leading Gophers.
The team will take with them the confidence gained this weekend as they travel to Mankato Dec. 10 and 11 with hopes of keeping consistent energy and playing as they know how.
