The Badgers (18-5-3 WCHA, 23-5-4 overall) will take on St. Cloud State (4-21-1, 7-25-1) this weekend in the final conference series of the year. Minnesota clinched the regular season WCHA title last weekend, but Wisconsin will look to finish the campaign strong and gain some momentum for the conference playoffs beginning next week.
The series will serve as a precursor to the first round of the WCHA tournament, where Wisconsin and St. Cloud State will meet again in a best of three series at LaBahn Arena.
The last time these two teams met, sophomore goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens earned two shutouts, as the Badgers won 4-0 and 3-0. After falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend, Wisconsin will attempt to bounce back Friday and Sunday.
“These games this weekend and certainly in the playoffs, everything gets magnified,” said head coach Mark Johnson in a press conference Monday. “So our ability to come out and stay focused and play with that urgency is important.”
Postseason play is looming but the Badgers still have much to work on before the biggest games of the season begin. The series against the Huskies provides an excellent opportunity for Wisconsin to continue to refine its game and prepare for the playoff rematch next weekend.
That being said, the offense has been more potent of late, lighting the lamp 11 times in the last three games after a scoreless draw against Minnesota-Duluth.
In particular, senior captain Blayre Turnbull has found her scoring stride, netting five goals in the last three games. Johnson emphasized the need for Wisconsin to stay focused on the games this weekend and not look ahead to the impending playoffs.
“The most important one right now is Game 33, Friday afternoon, against St. Cloud,” Johnson said. “When that’s over with, Saturday off, we get ready for Sunday, those games are crucial and obviously we’re going to play St. Cloud the first game of the playoffs.”
Sandwiched between the weekend series, Johnson, one of the heroes of the “Miracle on Ice” team, will head to Lake Placid Saturday, where he will be reunited with the other players for the 35th anniversary of the game. Johnson scored twice in the unforgettable contest, tying it at two with one second left in the first period and then evening it up again at three in the third period.
“For the group, and it looks like all 19 players are going to be there, it will be the first time the entire group has been back together since the All Star game in L.A., which was probably in 2000,” Johnson said.
The Badgers’ coach did say he would make it back for the final game Sunday. Look for Wisconsin to get back on track after a tough defeat and to come out firing this weekend.
The series begins Friday at LaBahn Arena at 3 p.m. and will finish up Sunday at noon.
