Since being paired together just eight games ago, freshmen Lindsay Macy and Sara Bauer have just clicked.
The duo has led the Badgers’ offensive charge down the stretch, and the two players now find themselves the top two scorers on the team.
The “freshmen connection” continued that torrid scoring pace this weekend, combining for five goals and five assists as the Wisconsin women’s hockey team (20-5-3, 14-5-1 WCHA) swept away the Purple Eagles of Niagara (5-21-3, 1-6-1 CHA) by scores of 4-0 Friday and 8-1 Saturday.
Bauer had a good weekend with a goal and three assists, but her line mate stole the show with a hat trick Friday and then a goal and two assists Saturday.
“Lindsay has the knack for finding open space around the net and when she gets the puck she can be really dangerous,” Badger head coach Mark Johnson said. “Between her [Macy] and Bauer, they are playing real well.”
Looking for a series sweep on Saturday afternoon, Bauer and Macy were key factors in three of Wisconsin’s first four goals, essentially knocking Niagara out by midway through the second period. Eventually the Badgers would stretch that lead into an 8-1 victory, and a weekend sweep.
It was Macy who struck first for the Badgers. She took a Carla MacLeod centering pass and slid it past Purple Eagle goaltender Jennifer Mascaro for her fourth goal of the series. Bauer was also credited with an assist on the play.
The Badgers’ second goal of the first period came just a minute later when Nikki Burish got her stick on a Molly Engstrom slap-shot and redirected it into the net.
Wisconsin opened the second period with a goal just one minute into play. The third member of the Bauer/Macy line, sophomore Sharon Cole, got in on the scoring action, taking a pass from Macy on a two-on-one break and depositing a wrist shot in the back of the net.
Macy again got in the action feeding Bauer, who skated across the front of the net and flipped a backhand shot into the goal, giving Wisconsin a 4-0 advantage.
Meghan Hunter finished the second period scoring when she went top-shelf over the Purple Eagle goalie.
The Badgers netted three more goals in the final frame, as Jackie Friesen and Karen Rickard sandwiched Burish’s second goal of the game. Burish also assisted on Friesen’s goal, giving her a healthy three points on the day.
Niagara got a lone consolation goal in the third period as Lindsay Vine was credited with a goal. Despite the lone blemish, junior Jessica Bernal got five saves and teamed up with starter Meghan Horras who had nine saves to help Wisconsin garner the sweep.
“We talked about being consistent and having good work habits and it shows in this kind of game,” Johnson said following the Badgers victory.
In the first game of the series it was Macy who provided most of the offensive firepower for the Badgers as she recorded the first hat trick of her career and led Wisconsin to a 4-0 win.
The hat trick was the first for the Badgers since Friesen netted three goals nearly a year ago against Ohio State.
Macy netted the first two goals of the game in the first period, both with help from Bauer. The first being a breakaway goal that Macy easily finished after being sprung free by a great break-out pass by Bauer. The second goal came on the power-play as Macy and Bauer worked a give-and-go that resulted in Macy’s second goal of the game.
In the second period, another freshman, Meaghan Mikkelson gave the Badgers a 3-0 lead just a minute before Macy recorded her hat trick.
Macy got her third goal on a deflection of an Engstrom slap-shot which proved to be the final score of the game.
Badger goalie Christine Dufour recorded her third shutout of the season, stopping all seven shots she faced.
The 4-0 score and 46-7 shooting advantage that Wisconsin enjoyed indicated the way the Badgers dominated play.
The two wins put fifth-ranked Wisconsin back on track for their ultimate goal, the Frozen Four. With fourth-ranked St. Lawrence and third-ranked Dartmouth both suffering losses this weekend, the Badgers look to move up into the top four again.
