The Badgers’ offense was nowhere to be found last weekend, as the Wisconsin women’s hockey team not only suffered their first two defeats of the season, but were shutout twice on the road against Minnesota-Duluth at AMSOIL Arena.
The 2-0 and 1-0 defeats marked the first time since 2001 that the Badgers (3-2-1, 1-2-1 WCHA) have not managed a single score in back-to-back games. The series also marked the end of a six-game road trip for Wisconsin, one which included games against Minnesota State and Lindenwood.
“The toughest thing in our business is to score goals,” head coach Mark Johnson said at his weekly press conference. “We were unfortunate this weekend to come away empty-handed both nights. … Their goalie was good, and we didn’t capitalize on a lot of opportunities, especially on the powerplay.”
What the Badgers did get in Duluth were several difficult breaks. In Friday’s game, the Bulldogs’ (2-2, 2-2) first goal came off a botched clear that left an open net for UMD forward Brienna Gillanders. The second goal came after a solid poke check from Wisconsin’s goaltender, Alex Rigsby, which sent the puck behind her into the Badgers’ net.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat was equally disappointing, as UW failed to find a breakthrough despite multiple chances and 25 shots on goal.
As Johnson pointed out, the other problem for the Badgers was the lack of scoring on powerplays. While the defense looked impressive, thwarting all eight UMD powerplays, the Wisconsin offense was another story. On Friday, the powerplay unit went 0-for-5, as Bulldogs’ goaltender Kayla Black turned aside all 31 shots.
Saturday’s effort was similar as the Badgers yet again failed to capitalize, finishing 0-for-3 on powerplays. Despite their first two losses of the season, UW’s head coach said his team is not panicking.
“Everything’s pretty upbeat; everything’s pretty positive,” Johnson said. “The team has played pretty well. Unfortunately, we just came away this past weekend with not scoring the goals we needed to win hockey games.”
Instead, they are looking forward to their home opener and the first game ever played at LaBahn Arena. The puck will drop in the brand new 2,400-seat arena Friday at 7 p.m. against Bemidji State, and game two of the series will take place Sunday at 2 p.m.
Located directly behind the Kohl Center, LaBahn Arena is a sign of the growth of the Wisconsin women’s hockey program over the last decade. The program has won four national titles since 2006 and also has six Frozen Four appearances over that period.
In regard to the new arena and the home opener, Johnson had only high praise.
“The future is bright for the young athletes to get a chance to work out of the facility,” he said. “There’s so many wonderful things about it. Now we get to open it up Friday night. It will be a special week. It will be a special night for the hockey program.”
Some wonder how long it will take to make LaBahn feel like home for the team, as the Badgers posted a 19-2 record at the Kohl Center last year. Johnson noted that the team is beginning to adjust to its new home.
The more we play, obviously, the more comfortable we’ll be,” Johnson said. “But our players, after spending a couple of weeks in the locker room, spending a couple of weeks practicing, those things are starting to come.”
The Badgers will look to start turning their new house into a home against a Bemidji State team they beat in all four games last year, and currently sits at the bottom of the conference with a 1-3 overall record. However, there is no guarantee Friday’s game will end with a comfortable victory, as the Badgers only escaped the last meeting with a one-goal victory.
But it may take until the first puck drop Friday night for Johnson to fully absorb the changing face of his program.
“I had to pinch myself this morning as I drove down to work,” he said. “It’s a reality. It hasn’t really hit me yet.”
That’s understandable since the women’s hockey team has called the Kohl Center home since 1998, sharing the venue with the men’s hockey team and both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Once the game begins, Johnson believes that the “pinch myself” mindset will be gone and “reality will be with us Friday night.”
And if they want to open their new arena on a positive note, the Badgers will be needing some goals as well.