Playing for the second time in just 18 hours, Minnesota State returned to LaBahn Arena and with a physical game plan, succeeding at times in keeping Wisconsin in its own zone and limiting scoring opportunities. Yet despite their improved play, the Mavericks were unable to change the eventual outcome.
Six different players found the back of the net as No. 1 Wisconsin (19-2-1 WCHA, 24-2-1 overall) downed Minnesota State (3-17-2, 6-20-3) 6-1 to complete a sweep of the season series between the two teams.
Head coach Mark Johnson made changes to the Badgers’ top two lines for the game, putting sophomore Sam Cogan in with senior captain Sydney McKibbon and freshman Presley Norby. This moved senior Sarah Nurse to the top line with juniors Emily Clark and Annie Pankowski, putting the Badgers’ top three scorers on the same line.
“Sometimes it’s good to mix things up just to keep people focused and fresh,” Johnson said. “We’ll look at what happened today and certainly putting Sarah up with [Clark] and Pankowski.”
The new lines paid off early in the game, as McKibbon dumped a puck off to Cogan before making a hard drive to the net, taking Cogan’s pass and putting it past Minnesota State goaltender Katie Bidulka for her 100th career point. Just over six minutes later, Clark would record her own 100th point, assisting on a power-play goal by Nurse that put Wisconsin up 2-0.
“It’s a nice achievement to have,” said McKibbon. “You definitely don’t get there without your teammates, without the help of your linemates and other players on the ice. Credit to them and credit to [Clark] too for getting her 100th point.”
The new lines connected one more time in the opening frame, as Cogan brought the puck down the left side on a rush before making a cross-ice pass to Norby for the freshman’s seventh goal of the season with just over two minutes remaining.
It appeared as if the Badgers would head into the locker room with a three-goal lead until a cross-checking penalty on freshman Abby Roque led to a power-play goal for MSU’s Emily Antony that made the score 3-1.
The goal was the first allowed by senior goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens in the series, and it would also be her last, as the Quebec native made 14 saves to secure her 21st win of the year.
Clark and freshman Alexis Mauermann would get in on the scoring in the second period on a pair of deflections, with Mauermann scoring her second goal of the series during a power play. Sophomore defender Mikaela Gardner scored in the third to give the Badgers a five-goal margin for the second straight game.
With their six-game homestand completed, the Badgers now take their No. 1 ranking and a 10-game winning streak into a road series with Bemidji State, an opportunity the team is relishing.
“We’re happy with where we’re at but we can always get better,” said McKibbon. “It’s been nice to be at LaBahn for the last three weeks and it’s been nice to have our own home crowd, but we’re excited to get up to Bemidji and have a little team getaway.”
