Junior forward Kayla Hagen’s game-winning goal against Minnesota-Duluth last Friday helped end the nation’s longest winning streak and gave the Badgers a win against a bitter rival. Hagen’s background made that goal even more significant.

The junior played high school hockey in Hibbing, Minn., a town 75 miles northwest of Duluth. Hagen had friends and family from home at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center for last weekend’s series.

“It was exciting because I could have my family there and even my high school coaches and a lot of the Iron Rangers that saw me play growing up,” Hagen said. “It was special to me in the sense that I could have all that support in the stands.”

During her first two seasons in Madison, Hagen bounced between lines partially because of a nagging knee injury that required two surgeries. This season she has played on the fourth line and notched just four points. Adversity, however, has done little to dampen her outlook.

“This year, though, I’m 100 percent healthy, but just the way our recruiting goes and how many amazing players we have on this team, any position I’m able to fill, I’m thankful to be there,” Hagen said. “First line, second, third or fourth, it doesn’t matter to me where I’m playing. I’m just going to go out there every shift that I get and play as hard as I can, and I’m thankful to be healthy again this year, so I can’t complain.”

Lower line impact

Throughout this season, the Badgers have often had an advantage in talent even when their top scorers are on the bench. This is because of some very productive play from Wisconsin’s third and fourth lines.

“Not very many other teams that we play against have the depth that we do. Duluth this weekend could not roll three lines like we could, or even four for that matter,” sophomore forward Jasmine Giles said. “We had the fourth line score our big goal this weekend. It’s pretty good to go out against their third line and be able to score and put the puck in the net.”

That fourth line accounted for one goal and three assists against Duluth last Friday.

Giles spent last season on the second line but was moved to the third to allow ice time for several talented freshmen. However, she does not see the move as a demotion.

“I still play, I feel like, the same role, even greater maybe with penalty kill. I’m still on one of the top penalty kills, top power play. So I still feel like I play the same but it’s just different people,” Giles said. The third line also has sophomore forward Kyla Sanders, who ranks third on the team with 13 goals, and freshman forward Kelly Nash, who has 11 points on the season.

Bemidji State up next

Wisconsin hosts Bemidji State at the Kohl Center Friday and at the Eagle’s Nest in Verona on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Badgers enter this weekend third in the WCHA standings behind Duluth and Minnesota.