This past weekend, the women's hockey team took care of St. Cloud State, easily sweeping the Huskies in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. This weekend, the Badgers face North Dakota in the WCHA Final Face-off.
When Wisconsin and the Fighting Sioux met back in December, the Badgers took the first game by only a single goal, but went on to win the second night 6-2. Wisconsin then swept UND at home 5-0, followed by an 8-4 offensive explosion, ending again in the Badgers' favor.
Despite sweeping the Fighting Sioux in the regular season, it did not come easily. This was largely due to the efforts of UND's leading point—scorers Jocelyne Lamoureux and Monique Lamoureux-Kolls. Combined, the Lamoureux twins have scored 110 points this season.
""When they're on the ice you've got to be aware of where they are and who's got the puck,"" head coach Mark Johnson said.
For the Badgers to have continued success in the post season, they will have to shut down these two dynamic players.
""If we take away them and continue our offensive abilities, we should be able to do pretty well against them,"" sophomore forward Brianna Decker said.
The WCHA Final Face-off will be held at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, where the ice is considerably smaller than the ice at the Kohl Center. The smaller ice at Ridder may provide an advantage for the Fighting Sioux, who are more familiar with playing on a smaller sheet Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Once again, the key to taking away this advantage lies with the Lamoureux twins.
""Up at Ridder, a smaller rink, they are going to shoot from everywhere,"" Decker said.
Wisconsin freshman goaltender Alex Rigsby is prepared to get between the sisters and the back of the net. Coming off the confidence of getting her career first playoff wins, the young goaltender is looking forward to this weekend's game.
""I'm really excited,"" Rigsby said. ""Whenever we've played them this year they've been great games.""
""[Rigsby] played really well when she did get tested [against St Cloud],"" Johnson said. ""It's an opportunity for her to get her feet wet, to play a couple of playoff games. Certainly we look for her to continue that progress this weekend.""
The Badgers play the early game Friday night, with the puck to drop at 4 p.m. If Wisconsin takes down North Dakota, they will await the result of the late game against Minnesota UM-Duluth to see who the team would meet in the WCHA Championship game.
That game will take place on Saturday evening.
""We're not concerned about Saturday until we get through Friday,"" Johnson said. ""Our focus will be on North Dakota.""
