The University of Wisconsin women’s hockey (10-0-0, 6-0-0 WCHA) defended their home ice against Bemidji State (1-8-1, 0-6-0) in two consecutive shutout wins – defeating the Beavers 4-0 on Thursday and 6-0 on Friday. The defending champion Badgers are still ranked No. 1 in the nation.
The puck dropped at 7 p.m. inside LaBahn Arena on Thursday night. It didn’t take long for junior forward Laila Edwards to net her ninth goal of the season, assisted by Casey O’Brien and Kirsten Simms. The goal was Edwards’s 100th point in her career, making her the 33rd Badger to reach that milestone.
Edwards joins her teammates O’Brien, Simms and Lacey Eden in the 100-point club. Wisconsin legend Hilary Knight is the all-time points leader with 262 career points in the Badger red. Edwards becomes just the third 100-point scorer to have played less than 100 games, joining Simms and current Professional Women’s Hockey League forward Daryl Watts.
After Edwards’ goal, juniors Marianne Picard and Caroline Harvey each added a goal of their own in the second period. Forward Claire Enright finished off the Beavers with a goal right in the face of the Bemidji goalie late into the third period. Edwards led the team in shots on goal with six.
Wisconsin’s dominance continued the next night. The puck dropped at 7 p.m. in front of a sold-out LaBahn Arena crowd once again. Crisp passes resulted in an early Eden goal, giving the Badgers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Edwards took an Eden pass from behind the goal line and sent it home for her second goal in as many days. Excellent passing leading to clean shots was the theme against Bemidji State, as Wisconsin amassed 87 shots to Bemidji’s 25 across both games.
Wisconsin put the game away in the second period – scoring four more goals. Eden collected her second goal. Simms found the net herself. Sophomore forwards Cassie Hall and Kelly Gorbatenko logged goals of their own, all in that second period.
Wisconsin travels to St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Nov. 1 and 2 to play games against St. Cloud State, whose record is 7-1-2, 3-1-2, and the Badgers will look to stay undefeated.
