The first period of the Wisconsin women's hockey team's 3-2 victory Friday and third period of their 6-1 win Saturday made up for more frustrating periods between them, as Wisconsin continued its hot start with a sweep over Minnesota State (1-2-1 WCHA, 3-2-2 overall).
Friday's game started with junior forward Brooke Ammerman breaking through for her first goal of the season. Although she said her season was not too frustrating despite the lack of goals, Ammerman admitted getting her first goal ""was a monkey off [her] back.""
""She's been a good goal scorer for us for two years so it's nice to see her get on the board,"" head coach Mark Johnson said.
Ammerman added another point with an assist on a goal by her sister, freshman forward Brittany Ammerman, and the Badgers took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Through the rest of the game, however, the Wisconsin offense sputtered while the Badger defense helped them survive a late charge by Minnesota State.
""Our offense, compared to what we had the first 20 minutes, wasn't there in the last 40 minutes,"" Johnson said. ""You've got to continue to compete, you've got to play for 60 minutes. Tonight we didn't do a good job of that.""
Ammerman was credited with Wisconsin's game-winning goal when a shot from sophomore forward Brianna Decker bounced off of her shoulder and into the net. She added a third goal for the weekend with a third-period goal Saturday.
The Badgers played a more complete game Saturday afternoon, pressuring freshman Maverick goaltender Danielle Butters with some great opportunities, but Butters put in a great performance and kept Wisconsin at bay for two periods.
""The goalie played a heck of a first period and second period, and pucks we thought should have been going in weren't going in,"" said junior forward Hilary Knight, who had six shots on goal in the first period.
In the third, however, the Badger offense found a way past her, scoring four times in the opening eight minutes of the final frame and turning a 2-1 lead into a 6-1 advantage in a matter of moments.
""Once we got one right away in the third we knew it was a matter of time before we were going to start popping them in a lot,"" Decker said.
