Consistency and contributions from the entire team brought Wisconsin women’s hockey two more wins.
The Badgers (26-2-2) dominated play both Friday and Sunday afternoon, giving them a sweep over Minnesota State (7-23-0) this past weekend at home.
Sunday, the Badgers came out strong and shut the Mavericks down for the entire game, winning decisively, 6-0, with goals coming from all three of Wisconsin’s offensive lines. Game one was a similar story, as UW finished off MSU, 5-2.
“Some of the things we did well in Friday’s game, we continued in [Sunday’s] game,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “We moved the puck pretty well in the offensive zone; we kept our feet moving and then created opportunities from that. When you create opportunities good things are going to happen, and from start to finish it was a pretty good effort.”
Coming out strong Sunday, Wisconsin got on the scoreboard early as junior forward Brianna Decker backhanded the puck in the net after it came loose in the slot at 7:26 in the first period.
UW continued its success in the second period scoring three additional goals. Sophomore forward Brittany Ammerman scored the team’s first goal in the second period, getting the puck into the net off a slap shot from inside the slot. Freshman forward Blayre Turnbull added to the lead, giving UW its third goal at 10:11 in the second period and showing the Mavericks the depth the Wisconsin team is able to play with.
“We have great depth both offensively and defensively, getting that third goal from that third line,” Ammerman said. “They needed that, and to have all three lines contributing at this point in the season its great leading into post-season.”
Closing out the period with less than a second left, senior forward Hilary Knight sailed a shot right past MSU goaltender Daniele Butters, off a pass by Ammerman.
The third period brought two more goals for UW to give them the impressive 6-0 victory. Ammerman again found the back of the net one timing the puck past Butters from a pass by Knight at 10:56 in the final period. Senior forward Carolyne Prevost got the team’s final goal at 14:23.
Ammerman stepped up big for Wisconsin this weekend with three points in Sundays game and four points off a pair of goals and pair of assists on Friday. She entered the weekend with only four goals on the season, and after doubling it in two games, she looked to be a spark of confidence for UW as it continues to move successfully forward.
“When kids get points and goals their confidence is going to go up,” Johnson said. “[Ammerman] is skating well, she is handling the puck well, and she is competing. If you put all those things together you are going to be successful.”
Friday night Wisconsin started off slow, allowing MSU to take an early 1-0 lead at 1:54 in the first period as MSU forward Lauren Smith got though UW’s defensive line and goaltender Alex Rigsby. It wasn’t until the second period that the Badgers got going, and from then on UW dominated the ice.
Senior forward Brooke Ammerman got the team’s first goal at 9:03 in the second period while shorthanded, off a slap shot from the slot. This gave Wisconsin the energy they needed, and Brittany Ammerman finished off the period with two goals of her own.
Wisconsin dominated the third period with two more goals and finished off the game with 47 shots to the Mavericks’ 26. MSU was able to get another puck in the net with eight seconds left in the game, but UW came out victorious with the 5-2 win.
With two decisive wins off of two well-played games, Wisconsin showed the consistency it will need as it moves forward to close out its regular season play and enter the playoffs. With depth, stability and positive energy after this series, the team feels it is coming together at the right time to be successful in the post-season.
“We played a whole game and you haven’t seen that from us in a couple of weeks, even a couple of months now, so I think its incredible to see how different lines are stepping up,” Knight said. “Everything is starting to come together, especially from all the hard work we have put in from the ups and downs. It’s looking nice.”
