SPORTS
WCHA’s best, worst face-off in Verona
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Also by Mike Ackerstein:
- Wisconsin hits road for Milwaukee (December 12, 2007)
- Heisman pressures could tackle Tebow (December 10, 2007)
- Wisconsin's home streak dead at 28 (December 10, 2007)
- Poor ball control haunts Badgers (December 10, 2007)
- Badgers put on show against Terriers (December 4, 2007)
Related Stories:
- WCHA title doesn't equal NCAA glory (February 25, 2005)
- Badgers to compete in Frozen Five (March 6, 2003)
- UW recieves 6th seed for big dance (March 14, 2005)
- Destination known, goaltender not (March 6, 2007)
by Mike Ackerstein
Friday, February 23, 2007
Anything can happen come playoff time, but this weekend's first-round matchup doesn't look like the UW women's hockey team will be upset. After winning the regular season WCHA title, the Badgers (29-1-4, 23-1-4 WCHA) were rewarded with the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. This means they will host a first round matchup against last-place North Dakota (3-29-2, 0-27-1 WCHA) this weekend at the Eagles Nest in Verona.
Riding a 19-game unbeaten streak, the Badgers are set to face a Sioux team with a similar streak, only in the opposite direction — UND has gone 18 games since its last win. In the two teams' four previous meetings of 2006-07, Wisconsin won handily every time, outscoring North Dakota 26-2. These two teams also met last season in the first round of the WHCA playoffs. Then, UW scored a pair of easy victories, winning 4-1 and 6-0 over UND.
With all these series against the Sioux in the past year, the Badgers will be very familiar with their opponent come this weekend's series.
"We know what to expect from them, and we know what it will take to win, but we're not overconfident," senior Bobbi-Jo Slusar said.
Offensively, North Dakota is led by Alexia Laplante and Samantha Bowers, who have recorded eight points apiece. To put that into perspective, 14 Badgers have scored at least eight points. In fact, the combined total of points registered by North Dakota skaters this season (86) is just 24 points more than senior forward Sara Bauer has by herself (62).
The Badgers are the top team nationally in goals allowed per game, power play percentage and rank near the top in goals scored per game. The Sioux, on the other hand, score at a very low rate (1.20 goals per game) and give up plenty of goals (4.00 goals per game).
This weekend will also offer the chance for a Wisconsin record to be broken. Bauer, in a season where it seems like she's broken or set a new school record each week, will have yet another opportunity to get her name into the record books against North Dakota.
Bauer needs just one point to tie Meghan Hunter's school record of 14 career postseason points. And given Bauer's success against the Sioux this season — she has six points against them — it appears likely that the senior Patty Kazmaier nominee will accomplish that feat.
With an endless supply of statistical comparisons that make an upset or a close contest seemingly impossible, veteran leadership will be vital to keeping the Badgers focused on advancing to the semifinals.
"Over the year everyone contributes and plays the leadership role," captain Slusar said. "Playoff time is when you try and get the freshman ready for what to expect and you try to step. The three of us [Slusar and alternate captains Sara Bauer and Phoebe Monteleone] have a job to do. Everybody knows that it's playoff time, and any team can really win, so it's important to stay focused."
As it has all season long, Wisconsin will take things one game at a time.
"Coach keeps emphasizing that it's a brand new season; everyone has zero points," junior forward Jinelle Zaugg said. "I think we're just going to go hard and take them like any game.
"Any game now can end your season, so taking that into consideration every game," Zaugg added. "We'll take it one game at a time."
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