Capping a week in which coach Mark Johnson was appointed to lead the 2010 USA Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team will host Ohio State this weekend in a WCHA matchup.
Although Johnson’s selection generated more media attention around the program than usual, junior forward Meghan Duggan said the team is focused on the task at hand.
“I think the beginning of this week there was a bunch of stuff going on,” Duggan said. “But I think that we’re not going to let it be a distraction, and we can just be excited for him and then just look forward to the series this weekend.”
In October, the Badgers swept the Buckeyes in Columbus, improving their all-time record against OSU to 35-3-6. At the time, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 9 in the country, but they have since struggled, entering this weekend with a 6-17-3 record, including a 4-14-2 mark in WCHA play — second worst in the league.
Meanwhile, the Badgers, who sport a five-game winning streak following their only loss of the season, returned this week to familiar posts atop the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and USCHO.com polls, as well as the WCHA standings. Ironically, Minnesota-Duluth, the only team to blemish the Badgers record, catapulted Wisconsin back to the top with a win and a tie at Minnesota.
Despite the advantage on paper the Badgers have against the Buckeyes and a looming matchup with the archrival Gophers, Duggan insisted the Badgers were not taking this weekend’s games lightly.
“I think that everyone on our team is pretty focused on this weekend in knowing that we can’t have any bumps in the road for the rest of the season,” Duggan said. “Yeah, that Gophers series is going to mean a lot — but it’s not going to mean anything if we can’t get past these Ohio State games here.”
Last weekend, the Badgers took two from St. Cloud State behind an extraordinary defensive debut by senior Angie Keseley. Moving from her normal forward role back to the blue line, Keseley racked up five assists, a performance that garnered her WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. Keseley is the second Badger in a row to take the honor, succeeding sophomore defenseman Olivia Jakiel.
Keseley, who said she has played defense occasionally in the past, credited her teammates with making the transition seamless.
“I got a lot of support from both the forwards and defense,” Keseley said. “[Anne] Dronen was a great partner to have. She just helped give me confidence. I mean obviously the transition’s tough, but just with the support of everyone it made it that much easier.”
Duggan praised the versatility Keseley exhibited.
“She was a standout last weekend, definitely,” Duggan said. “I think it’s awesome. It shows just how dynamic of a player she is that within a week she can jump back and be one of the best defensemen in the conference.”
Keseley’s five assists raised her season point total to 31, placing her fifth on the team and tied for 31st in the country in points per game. One teammate ahead of her on that list, sophomore forward Hillary Knight, could make Badger history this weekend. Knight, who leads the nation with 28 goals, is currently third all-time for goals in a season, one behind former forward Jinelle Zaugg’s total from 2006-07. Knight is also tied for third all-time for power play goals in a season with 10.
Johnson could reach a landmark of his own against the Buckeyes as he is just two wins shy of 200 in his seventh year as Badger coach. Since the 2005-06 season, the Badgers have amassed 123 wins, more than any team in the nation in that time.
After this season’s conclusion, however, Johnson will begin a one year hiatus from the team to concentrate his efforts on the Olympics. In addition to the 2010 games, Johnson will coach Team USA at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships in April, the 10-game Qwest Tour, the National Women’s Invitational Tournament from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, and the Four Nations’ Cup in November. Assistant coaches Dan Koch and Tracey Cornell will co-coach in his absence.
Although Johnson is new to the National Team gig, he may have some familiar faces on his bench. Duggan, Knight, senior center Erika Lawler and senior goaltender Jessie Vetter have all played for Team USA before, including during last year’s IIHF World Championship run.
The possibility that they could play in an Olympics for their college coach was one that Duggan said she would cherish.
“[I’d be] speechless I guess,” Duggan said. “To play for him, on that kind of team, in that kind of atmosphere, as a player and as myself, it’s everything that I’ve been working for the journey of my entire life. It’d be unbelievable.”
