The Badger women's hockey team opens postseason play this weekend with a best of three series against St. Cloud State. Awarded the first overall seed in this year's WCHA playoffs, Wisconsin (24-2-2 WCHA, 30-2-2 overall) will host the Huskies (1-26-1, 1-31-1) at the Eagles Nest in Verona.
The regular season was not friendly to St. Cloud State. They won just a single game all year. The two regular season series between these two teams saw the Badgers outscore St. Cloud by the total of 27-1—not exactly an even match.
Despite this complete domination over the Huskies during the regular season, head coach Mark Johnson does not want his team to overlook this opponent.
""Everybody is 0-0,"" Johnson said. ""The regular season is over, whether you had a great season, an average season or a bad season, it doesn't matter right now.""
In order to come away from the first round of the playoffs with a 2-0 record, the team is looking to its upperclassmen—those who have experienced postseason play. And the Badgers have plenty of experience in that department, with players like junior Hillary Knight and senior Meghan Duggan on the team, both of whom played on the National Championship team from 2008-'09.
""It's a very exciting experience,"" Knight said. ""I know at some point your nerves kind of get to you because your season hangs on what's going to happen. Just try to make all of [the underclassmen] comfortable and continue to do what we've been doing.""
Also continuing is the odd tradition of playing the first round of the WCHA playoffs at the Eagles Nest in Verona. This change in venue causes its own complications, like setting up a makeshift equipment room. But these challenges are just seen as part of the experience.
""We always go out there for the first round of the playoffs,"" Knight said. ""It's a nice, cold rink and it's a big sheet. A big sheet is good for us.""
""It'll be good,"" Johnson said echoing Knight's sentiments. ""We've been out there before in years past and it always bodes well for us.""
A friendly rink is always good for a team, adding to the confidence the Badgers are already showing right now. The task ahead looks to be a rough one for St. Cloud. Wisconsin ended its regular season with two huge wins over Minnesota State-Mankato. The series saw records broken and three hat tricks tallied.
Playing on a team so used to winning, it becomes hard for the young players to not look past one team and to the finals. But the Badgers have done well to stay grounded and focus on what's directly in front of them.
""I'm excited, obviously,"" freshman Madison Packer said. ""We're not taking anything for granted or overlooking a team.""
""This time of year, you can't look past anything,"" Johnson said. ""I've seen a lot of strange things happen, funny things happen when you get into the playoffs.""
Packer may have said it best.
