The Wisconsin women's hockey team should have a lot to brag about. It's ranked second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and has a 17-6-1 WCHA record (21-10-2 overall). It's stopped teams once considered unstoppable'on the road no less'and it's gone 14-2-0 since Jan. 1.
The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (16-5-3 WCHA, 21-5-4 overall) are a familiar opponent, as the Badgers swept them Jan. 6-7, ending their 23-game unbeaten streak.
Yet the women are focused, confident and united as they head into the first round of the WCHA playoffs against Minnesota-Duluth. They will have to be, as they face off against a team that boasts a powerful offense, physically solid players and several members of the bronze medal-winning Swedish Olympic hockey team.
The team the Badgers defeated in January comes with a fast-paced offense that the UW defense will have to shut down early in order to be successful.
\We'll definitely have to be on our 'A' game, and they're a fast skating team and pretty big, so we're going to have to be stronger than them,"" sophomore forward Meghan Hunter said.
Freshman defender Carla MacLeod agrees that strength, both offensive and defensive, is key in defeating the Bulldogs. ""Obviously our main focus is on defense and being strong in our own zone. ?? We just have to capitalize on our opportunities and minimize theirs,"" MacLeod said.
Interim Head Coach Dan Koch says the team has been preparing for the rapid offense in practice this week by focusing their energy on defensive strategies.
""We're just focusing on our defensive systems in all three zones of the rink and we're working on one-on-one battles and then we're also trying to create some scoring opportunities,"" Koch said.
Leading the Bulldogs' offense are junior forwards Maria Rooth and Erika Holst, both of whom earned bronze medals playing with the Swedish Olympic hockey team in Salt Lake City. However, the Badgers are not intimidated by the team's star power.
""We can play with them,"" Hunter said. ""We're not going to let it faze us; we're just going to go out there and work hard.""
""We're looking for all of our players to contribute and to go out and play with a strong effort,"" Koch added.
While the Badgers may not have the Olympic experience Duluth has, they will bring to the ice confidence that they have built up over the season. Although the season got off to a sluggish start, the women have since gained assurance through important victories and communication.
""We gel really well as a team,"" Hunter said. ""We've been building on our wins and our success over the last couple of games.""
Koch also speaks well of the team's confidence and of its tolerance throughout a season that has seen everything from a five-game losing streak to a seven-game winning streak to Head Coach Trina Bourget's medical leave in January.
""I think this is a team that has handled a lot of adversity,"" Koch said. ""They've never stopped believing in themselves and I think that's a strong sign of their character.""
According to MacLeod, the team members' satisfaction in themselves and their play will assist them in the tournament.
""We've got a lot more confidence now,"" MacLeod said. ""We're playing great hockey so we have no worries heading into this weekend.\
