The last time the Badgers (14-4-2 WCHA, 19-4-3 overall) took on Minnesota State (0-17-1, 2-21-1), Wisconsin scored 16 goals in two games, while allowing just two.
The Mavericks will be searching for their first win in conference play when Wisconsin comes to Mankato this Friday and Saturday. Freshman forward Nicole Shammel leads the team in points with four goals and nine assists and will head the charge for Minnesota State.
She will look to dish to leading goal scorer freshman forward Hannah Davidson, who has found the back of the net five times. Davidson has been extremely efficient, notching her five goals on just 26 shots.
Minnesota State’s struggles can certainly be attributed to its youth. The Mavericks have just seven upperclassmen in comparison to a whopping 16 underclassmen. Three of their top five point leaders are freshmen. Caught in a rebuilding year, Minnesota State has been the bottomfeeder of the WCHA all year, including dropping one of last week’s contests against Minnesota-Duluth by a score of 12-0.
After a frustrating 1-1 tie against Clarkson last Saturday, the Badgers had an offensive explosion in the Sunday game, winning 4-0. They were led by freshman phenom Annie Pankowski, who earned her second hat trick of the season.
Pankowski has been an offensive wizard this season, collecting 28 points. This mark puts her at a tie with redshirt senior Brittany Ammerman, who plays left wing on the same line.
For her stellar play last week, Pankowski earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors for the third time this season. According to UWBadgers.com, Pankowski is tied for second in the nation for points scored among freshmen.
Pankowski’s successful line also includes freshman Emily Clark, a testament to the Badger’s strong play from underclassmen. But what sets them apart from Minnesota State is the balance of youth with experience. Ammerman provides senior leadership on her line, while Wisconsin’s top line is comprised of seniors Karley Sylvester, Katy Josephs and Blayre Turnbull.
Look for this veteran line to make the difference in the weekend series with Minnesota State. The seniors must come out firing and take away any hopes of a Maverick upset early.
While Wisconsin should handle Minnesota State with ease, no road game is ever easy and the Badgers will need to earn two victories to remain in the hunt for a WCHA title. Minnesota currently leads the conference by eight points, so the Badgers will need to take advantage of a weaker opponent this weekend.
