Six months ago, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team was cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. While there was plenty of talent, there were also plenty of questions. The team’s success all season long can be directly attributed to the way they came out and answered those questions.
Wisconsin’s 25-6-3 record, the best in program history, was apparently not good enough for the Frozen Four. Despite finishing second in the WCHA and losing just one game in the second half of the regular season, the computers said four other teams were better.
“I struggle sometimes with computer systems and these rankings (pairwise rankings),” said UW head coach Mark Johnson. “I don’t look at them a lot, but when I do look at them, I get a little confused, as I’m sure many of you do.”
Coming into the season, the biggest question mark for the Badgers was in goal, where no player on the roster had any significant college experience. With sophomore Meghan Horras and freshman Christine Dufour, the Badgers got a very good answer. Horras was second in the nation in goals against average with a 1.40, and third in save percentage at .935. Her play throughout the year earned her the WCHA Goaltender of the Year award. Dufour also saw significant playing time throughout the year and put up numbers similar to those of Horras (1.49 gaa, .914).
Scoring was also a question mark for the Badgers as they came into the season. While the answers weren’t all that clear throughout the early stages, eventually there were two main strengths to the Badger attack.
The first answer came in the form of the two freshmen who led the team in scoring. Sara Bauer, who was named WCHA Rookie of the Year, led the team in scoring with eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points. Bauer consistently produced all season long, as she was at or near the top of the scoring charts all season. Lindsay Macy, on the other hand, took a bit longer to get acclimated to the college game, but once she did she provided plenty of firepower for the Badger offense. Macy led the team with 18 goals and added 13 assists, most of which came in the second half of the season after being paired with Bauer. The pair helped the struggling Wisconsin offense find its rhythm down the stretch.
The other part of the scoring equation was the incredible depth shown all year. While Bauer and Macy led the team, there were 12 other players who contributed with double-digit point totals. The top three lines were all potential offensive threats, and even the fourth line created plenty of opportunities all season. Not relying on one or two players to score oftentimes worked to Wisconsin’s advantage, as opponents could not key on one line to stop.
Defensively, Wisconsin had the fewest concerns entering the season. With juniors Carla MacLeod, Molly Engstrom, and Nicole Uliasz providing a very solid core, the Badgers’ only concern was how their two freshmen would fit into the rotation. As the second-best defensive team in the nation, the defense seemed to have the answers all season long. Engstrom in particular was singled out by the WCHA as the top defenseman this season. She was also the sole Badger representative on the All-WCHA First Team.
The progression of the freshmen was the final question mark about Wisconsin as they began play in October. With Bauer and Macy leading the team in scoring, as well as Dufour’s solid play in goal, the group answered very well. Bobbi-Jo Slusar also proved to be a talented addition to the lineup, as she, along with Bauer and Dufour, were named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team. With so many young players making important contributions to the team, next year looks to be another solid season.
As with any team, there are a group of seniors who have played their final game in a Badger uniform. Leading the way for that group is Meghan Hunter, who leaves Wisconsin as the program’s all-time leader in nearly every major category. Forwards Karen Rickard and Steph Millar have not only provided an offensive spark this season, but plenty of leadership as well. Defensively, Kathryn Greaves was solid all season long and was often paired with one of the freshman defenders.
“Hopefully some of the things that the Hunters, the Millars and the Rickards have been doing for the past four years will rub off on the rest of the team,” Johnson said. “Then they’ll understand the passion and hard work and can carry that torch that’s been passed along to them.”
The Badgers put together the best season in program history, and every pre-season question seemed to have a very positive answer. Certainly watching the Frozen Four from home seems to be a disappointing end, but, with time, this season will be seen for what it was: a success.
