It was close, but not quite, as the Wisconsin women's hockey (5-5-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 12-6-4 overall) dropped a 2-0 contest to No. 5 New Hampshire (9-0-0 Hockey East, overall 20-4-2) at the Kohl Center Friday night.
In a defensive struggle, the Badgers outshot the Wildcats, 6-4, in the first period. Junior forward Karen Rickard had the first quality chance for the UW when sophomore defender Molly Engstrom hit the streaking Rickard behind the UNH defense. The junior skated in alone on Wildcat goaltender senior Jen Huggon, but missed the net with her shot.
Just past the midway point of the second period, the Badgers put pressure on UNH with junior forward Meghan Hunter getting stopped on a two-on-one and senior defender Sis Paulsen getting stopped on an open shot from the right face-off circle shortly after Hunter. But the puck ended up near the blue line where a diving freshman forward Lindsay Hansen beat a UW defender and got the puck to junior defender Allison Edgar. Edgar fed senior forward Chandy Kaip to send the Wildcats in on a three-on-one. Kaip's first shot was stopped by UW senior goalie Jackie MacMillan, but Kaip got to the rebound and scored her ninth of the season at 11:01.
After the Wildcats controlled much of the second period and outshot the Badgers, 7-2, Wisconsin took control in the third period. A three-shot barrage started with a point shot by Engstrom, ended after a scramble in front and a whistle. The last of the three UW shots bounced off the post before the puck was pushed out by the hand of a UNH defender.
The Badgers continued their pressure, finishing the period with a 12-6 advantage in shots, but it was the Wildcats that found the net for the critical second goal. Kaip caused a turnover at the UW blue line and skated in on MacMillan. Hansen skated to the right of the goaltender and redirected Kaip's pass inside the near post and behind the senior netminder for the 2-0 lead. The score came at 14:25 of the third period.
Both teams went scoreless on the power-play, with the Badgers unsuccessful on four attempts and the Wildcats failing on three opportunities.
MacMillan stopped 15 shots in the loss and fell to 12-6-4. Huggon made 20 saves to improve to 20-4-1.
Saturday was a different story as the teams played a close and defensive game that ended in a 1-1 draw.
MacMillan gave a stellar performance against the Wildcats, only giving up one goal and making 24 saves. Her counterpart for UNH, Huggon gave an equally dominant performance only giving up one goal on 29 shots.
Wisconsin's senior forward Kendra Antony registered the lone UW goal in the closing seconds of the first period off of a pass from sophomore defender Carla Macleod.
Senior forward Chandy Kaip scored UNH's lone goal in the first period as well. For Kaip it was her second goal of the series.
UW plays next this coming Friday and Saturday at Minnesota State University.
