Although the Wisconsin women’s team lost for the first time since last November this past Friday to St. Cloud State, head coach Mark Johnson does not believe his team did much wrong besides failing to put the puck in the net.
“If the other team, I don’t care how good or bad they are, if the goalie is getting 50, 55, 60 saves and you’re only getting one [goal], it’s going to be a tight game,” Johnson said.
In reality, senior goalie Kendall Newell made 35 saves in the win over Wisconsin Friday. Newell has presented problems for the Badgers over the past couple of seasons, leading St. Cloud State to two ties and an overtime loss against Wisconsin and beating the Badgers this season.
Johnson believes Wisconsin played very similarly each night, except on Saturday Wisconsin “got the fish in the boat,” a goal-scoring metaphor he relayed to his team after Friday night’s loss, which led to a 5-0 retaliation by Wisconsin Saturday.
“We probably outchanced them 35-6 [on Friday]. If the puck’s not going in, you just can’t get frustrated. You have to go back out and be a little hungry,” Johnson said. “A lot of times you have to jump over the boat and grab [the fish] with your hands and pull it in. It’s a little tougher, but you have to do it.”
Wisconsin dropped to No. 2 in the USCHO.com poll behind Minnesota-Duluth this week. However, Johnson, who has spoken all year about teams aiming at Wisconsin, believes that voters’ opinions do not affect each team’s goals.
“[The target] doesn’t go off until you have a new champion. Whether we’re playing Duluth, or we’re playing Minnesota, or we’re playing Minnesota State, they want to beat us. They want to beat the defending champs,” Johnson said.
While she is still a rookie, forward Mallory Deluce has taken an offensive leadership role, as she is currently tied for Wisconsin’s lead in points with another freshman, forward Hilary Knight, at 11.
Last weekend Deluce scored her first career hat trick en route to a 5-0 shutout against St. Cloud State. Deluce credits her team with giving her the scoring chances.
“I didn’t really have to do much. We had good shots from the D and a couple of good shots from my linemates and I just put it in,” she said.
“[Deluce is] getting an opportunity, and she’s making the most of that opportunity and for eight games has done very well,” Johnson said.
Wisconsin will need Deluce to contribute likewise this entire season, which continues this weekend when the Badgers host Minnesota State, which is 1-2-1 on the season with its lone victory coming in WCHA play against Bemidji State.
The Badgers handled the Mavericks with ease last season, outscoring Minnesota State in the four games the teams played, all Wisconsin victories.
Friday’s game is free to all fans and begins at 2 p.m. Saturday’s game will require a purchase of a ticket and begins at 4 p.m.
