The University of Wisconsin (7-1-0, 5-1-0) responded to its first loss of the season in impressive fashion, outscoring St. Cloud State 14-1 in a two-game sweep following last weekend’s upset at the hands of Ohio State. The Badger defense suffocated the St. Cloud offense, and sophomore Sara Bauer had the best weekend of her young career as the Badgers returned to their winning ways.
In Friday’s contest, Wisconsin took control of the game early with two first period goals, courtesy of sophomore Lindsey Macy and Bauer, who would end the night with her second hat trick of the season. The Huskies were unable to muster any offense at all due to the suffocating Wisconsin defense and a myriad of penalties that had St. Cloud State on the defensive for the majority of the first period, twice ending up in 5-on-3 situations. The Badgers allowed the Huskies to register just four shots on goal in the opening period.
The Badgers hit the gas early in the second period with Bauer netting her second goal of the game to give Wisconsin a 3-0 lead. The Badgers would add two more goals in the period, scored by junior Grace Hutchins and Macy, who tallied her second of the evening. Once again, UW only allowed just four shots on goal.
Bauer completed her hat trick in the third period, scoring her third goal 61 seconds into the final frame. Later in the final period, junior Nikki Burish knocked in the last goal of the night, her fourth of the season, to make the score 6-0.
The Huskies threatened to break the Wisconsin shutout several times during the third period, putting together several quality scoring chances despite registering only eight shots. The biggest test for junior goaltender Meghan Horras came with 8:49 left in the third period, when the Huskies gained a 5-on-3 power play after a pair of penalties by freshman Jinelle Zaugg and junior Sharon Cole. But Horras held on for the shutout, turning away every shot that came her way, including a sparkling save with 12 seconds left in the final period.
Sharon Cole tallied three assists for the Badgers, while senior defenseman Molly Engstrom and Bauer had two assists each.
The Huskies came out fired up Saturday afternoon and kept the UW offense under wraps in the early going, allowing only six shots and keeping the Badgers from getting into a rhythm offensively. The Badgers were able to keep the Huskies off the board as well, and the first period ended in a 0-0 deadlock.
In the second period however, the Badgers were able to crack the St. Cloud defense and break the game open. Penalties were the Huskies’ undoing for a second straight game, as Engstrom scored her fifth goal of the season on a UW power play. Wisconsin made it 2-0 when Bauer netted her fourth goal of the weekend.
“Today they came out and threw a little twist in their game plan and it took us a little while to adjust to it, but after the first period we made a few adjustments and were able to respond real well,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “We were able to get two goals and really start to take over the game.”
The Badgers went on a scoring spree in the third period, lighting the lamp five times. Macy scored twice for her third multi-goal game this year, bringing her season total to nine. Senior defenseman Nicole Uliasz, Burish and sophomore Heidi Kletzien also scored in the period.
Wisconsin lost its bid for a shut-out weekend with 7:42 left in the third period after a bizarre triple penalty which sent three Badgers to the penalty box. St. Cloud State’s Ashley Stewart converted a 5-on-3 power play into St. Cloud’s only goal of the weekend.
Bauer added three assists in Saturday’s game, and Burish also had a pair.
