The Badgers (4-0-0 WCHA, 6-0-0 overall) returned home to face Ohio State after two straight weekends on the road where they crushed their opponents Lindenwood and Minnesota-Duluth. Against the Buckeyes, it was more of the same as they registered dominant 6-0 and 3-0 wins.
Wisconsin came out firing on Friday night, with 22 shots in the first period. Only nine were on goal, but two of them reached the net in the eighth and 15th minutes.
Those goals set the tone for the night in which six different Badgers would score, including three freshmen forwards, Baylee Wellhausen, Emily Clark, and Annie Pankowski. It was the first goal of the season for Wellhausen and UW’s leading assister Pankowski.
“In the early part of the season, everybody’s chipping in,” said coach Mark Johnson. “It’s a good situation to be in, where you have a lot of kids who are on the score sheet. It obviously helps you win hockey games, but more importantly, it gets confidence to those players.”
Sophomore goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens saved all 28 of Ohio State’s shots on goal, cementing the Badgers’ 6-0 shutout.
Even after the blowout, Coach Johnson acknowledged the team still has some things to work on.
“We’re a long way from being a good hockey team. We’re a work in progress right now,” he added. “I’ve expressed to the team that every game we have to get better. We have to make strides.”
The Badgers appeared to make those strides in the second matchup Sunday. They were aggressive from the start and did not let up all game.
Wisconsin finished with 76 shots including 40 in the second period. They ended up with 47 shots on goal in the game, three of which scored. Redshirt senior forward Brittany Ammerman connected on the final two goals, the latter of which came with only 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
Desbiens put together her second straight shutout in the 3-0 win, but she recognized that she’s not the only part of the equation.
“Every single shutout, you can’t do by yourself, so it’s always the teamwork. I’m really happy with our defense so far,” she said. “Everyone has played well. It’s a team effort.”
That team effort will be needed once again, next weekend when Minnesota comes to town. The Gophers, like the Badgers, are undefeated this season, although they finished their last game in a 3-3 tie against Duluth. Wisconsin will be tested once again against another conference rival.
