The Wisconsin women’s hockey team may have already clinched the WCHA regular season title and Minnesota State-Mankato may sit second from the bottom in the conference standings, but there is still plenty to play for this weekend as the two teams match up for the second time this season.
For the Badgers, continuing their winning ways (unbeaten in 18 straight games) is important, as they soon head into conference and national tournament play. No team wants to end its regular season on a sour note – such as losing to a team most of the conference has had its way with throughout the year.
As the season winds down, according to several of their players, the Badgers are playing their best hockey thus far and the high level of play couldn’t have come at a better time.
“I think we’re definitely in motion right now,” senior defenseman Geena Prough said. “You continue to improve each weekend during the season and I think we’ve got all the wheels going.”
These two teams first clashed back in October, when Wisconsin took both games in the series sweep. In the Friday night game, the Badgers bested the Mavericks 3-2 on the shoulders of strong goaltending play by freshman net minder Alex Rigsby.
In game two of the series, the Badgers didn’t have as much trouble, as they scored early and often en route to a 6-1 victory.
Physicality and solid goaltending from both sides pervaded the entire series, which are themes the Badgers expect to see once again this weekend in Minnesota. The other nuance that might play a role in the outcome is the size of Mankato’s home rink.
The ice sheet is much smaller than what the Badgers are used to at the Kohl Center, resembling rinks of conference rivals Ohio State and North Dakota, places where ice space is at a premium.
Head coach Mark Johnson has prepared his team for the change in spacing all week in practice.
“We’ve been doing a lot of battle drills in tight areas because we’re going into a smaller rink,” Prough said.
There lies some uncertainty about whom the Badgers will send out on the ice, as well. In the series against North Dakota last weekend, Kelly Nash and Brittany Ammerman both went down with injuries. Then in practice on Wednesday, Brittany’s older sister, Brooke Ammerman also suffered an injury.
The team has yet to reveal the seriousness of any of the injuries, but the three have missed practice throughout the week.
“You never can anticipate those, you never know when they are going to happen, so you have to make some adjustments, put the next player in and keep going at it,” Johnson said.
Wisconsin and Minnesota State both enter the series with seniors who will play the last regular season games of their careers. For the Badgers, captain Meghan Duggan, Geena Prough, Kelly Nash, Mallory Deluce and Anne Dronen will all don the Badger red and white for the last time in regular season action.
For Duggan, aside from ending her time as a Badger, there is additional pressure during the series as the captain is one point shy of tying UW’s all-time career point record.
“If she ends up doing it, then she’s done it. She deserves it and earned it and it will be a real feather in her cap,” Johnson said.
As the playoffs loom right around the corner, the Badgers are brimming with confidence. According to junior winger Carolyne Prevost, the only thing that can stop Wisconsin is itself.
All season long, Johnson has preached the importance of consistency in his team’s effort and the understanding that if the team gives that effort, they are a difficult team to stop. But Prevost and the rest of her team know they can’t let down against any opponent.
“We don’t expect them to give us the victory,” Prevost said. “We’re going to have to work hard for it.”
The Badgers believe they are not only ready for this weekend but for the weeks to come in the playoffs.
“We’re really excited about this time of year,” Prevost said. “This is usually when Wisconsin hockey shines the most, towards the playoffs.”
