The Wisconsin women’s hockey team earned an important non-conference victory Sunday afternoon when it took down No. 7-ranked Clarkson at LaBahn Arena for the Badgers’ first win over a ranked team since Nov. 1.

Wisconsin won the second of a two-game series, 4-0, following a 1-1 tie Saturday afternoon. Freshman forward Annie Pankowski tallied her second hat trick of the season with three indelible goals against Clarkson’s goaltender Shea Tiley.

Twice, she picked out the top corner of the net to beat Tiley, once over the blocker and once over the glove hand. Her goals ignited the team’s offense en route to four total goals.

After a very open and quick first period, in which the Badgers held the puck for most of the duration, things began to settle down when Pankowski opened scoring early in the second. She glided to the right of the net and unleashed a quick wrist-shot across her body and over Tiley’s blocker which rang off the post and in.

“Our team was rolling on all cylinders and I was just the person there to finish the plays,” Pankowski said.

It was a truly distinct goal to start one of the more signature games Wisconsin has had thus far. Aside from only Minnesota and North Dakota, the Badgers haven’t faced another highly ranked team all season. Moreover, the Badgers haven’t beaten a ranked foe since Nov. 1, placing emphasis on boosting their stock in the rankings.

“It’s been six straight really good games,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “The two at Minnesota were good, we had a lot of opportunities in the second night. The two games at Bemidji State were very similar to these games. Tight, blocking shots, playing well.”

Having dropped to No. 4 in the rankings after losing and winning against Bemidji State last weekend, the Badgers played with a chip on their shoulder to regain momentum as they close in on the end of the season. With only eight regular season games remaining and the WCHA Tournament beginning in a month, every game holds more value as a last ditch attempt to improve the team’s standing.

Sunday’s game certainly achieved that goal. The win was not only by a margin of four, but done quite convincingly as well. Wisconsin held Clarkson to just five shots in the first period and the Golden Knights never tallied more than 10 in a single frame.

The Badgers have developed an identity built around a strong defensive unit with a powerful attack. Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens has proved to be a brick wall in net, solidifying the team’s defense, which has played a strong complimentary role to the offense.

Desbiens and her defense added another shutout to their record Sunday, and the offense played an ever-present role in aiding them. Time of possession in Clarkson’s zone played an important part in keeping Desbiens from being over-worked.

“It’s a team effort, we need to find a way to put pucks in the goal,” Desbiens said. “We just need to focus on what we can do and keep putting pressure on their end, which goes a long way too.”

Clarkson rolled out a very large lineup, seemingly towering over some of the players skating for Wisconsin. The mismatches kept it close through the first period, but the Badgers held their ground and weren’t dismayed with the prospect of defending against larger opponents.

“I think our defense stepped up this weekend,” Desbiens said. “They made sure I was able to see the puck, pushing them to the side and tapped their sticks away so they weren’t able to get any deflections. I have my hat off for them.”

The win was not only a milestone in that it showed the Badgers were able to beat a talented team in a convincing fashion, nor because Pankowski was able to secure a hat trick with two dazzling goals, but because the win was also Johnson’s 350th career victory.

“I didn’t even know that until the locker room after the game,” Johnson said. “I’d say it’s not about me, rather the kids in the locker room coming together and developing as teammates.”

Johnson’s comments reflect his humility, and show his feelings about his job, in which he believes in and puts his players first. He will look to add to his already impressive legacy at Wisconsin when his team takes on Minnesota State next weekend.