On an emotional day for the team's six seniors, the Wisconsin women's hockey team ended its regular season Saturday with a sweep of the Bemidji State Beavers at the Kohl Center.
Before Saturday's game, the class of 2009 was honored with a ceremony marking one of the most successful classes in Wisconsin hockey history. Once the puck dropped, however, the No. 2 Badgers shook off the emotions of their final regular-season game to take the second game of the series 5-2.
""They've certainly meant a lot to our program. I'm just happy we came out and played hard for them,"" Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. ""It's an emotional day.""
Wisconsin's win Saturday came much easier than its victory Friday, when Bemidji State's freshman goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova frustrated the Badger offense for most of the game. Although Wisconsin went on to win the first game of the series 3-0, Tomcikova had 35 saves and held the Badgers scoreless until late in the second period.
Wisconsin senior goaltender Jessie Vetter broke her own school record Friday with her 11th shutout of the season, but said she was impressed with Tomcikova.
""[Tomcikova] moves pretty well. She definitely makes it difficult for the puck to get by her,"" Vetter said.
The Wisconsin defense was equally impressive, allowing just three shots on goal in the second and third periods and scoring two of the game's three goals.
After a sloppy first period, the Badgers responded, as sophomore defender Anne Dronen beat Tomcikova to put Wisconsin up 1-0 with just under a minute to go. UW freshman defender Brittany Haverstock and freshman forward Brooke Ammerman added goals in the third period.
Junior forward Jasmine Giles started the Badgers' scoring Saturday with an impressive goal—after being tripped in midair, Giles slid across the ice on her side and flicked in a shot from Ammerman to put UW up 1-0.
Considering the team's poor play in the first period of Friday's game, Johnson said he was happy with the way Saturday's game was handled.
""It was good to come out and establish things right away,"" he said. ""We put ourselves in a very good situation for the rest of the game.""
Two minutes later, sophomore forward Hilary Knight scored the first of her two goals in Saturday's game, and junior forward Meghan Duggan and senior forward Erika Lawler also added goals en route to a 5-2 Wisconsin win.
Lawler paid the price for her shorthanded goal, however—after tapping in a pass from Knight, she slammed into the boards and did not return to the game. However, both Johnson and Lawler said she will be ready for Wisconsin's next game.
The Badgers will now move on to the WCHA playoffs starting Feb. 27.
