All year long, the No. 4 UW women's hockey team (14-7-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 20-7-1 overall) has boasted a stingy defense. Led by its second-year captain, senior defender Carla MacLeod, and assistant captain, senior defender Molly Engstrom, the Badgers have the third-best defense in the nation.
This week, MacLeod and Engstrom were recognized for their efforts when both were named top-10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
The award is given for the most outstanding player in women's college hockey, citing individual and team skills, sportsmanship and performance in the clutch, among other criteria.
\It's a huge honor and a big surprise,"" MacLeod said. ""I had no idea the nominations were coming out and that I was even in contention.""
""The Patty Kazmaier is the biggest honor in women's hockey,"" Engstrom added. ""I'm pretty proud of it, it's a pretty cool thing.""
Both Engstrom and MacLeod are having standout years. Engstrom leads the team and is 11th in the nation in power play goals while cracking the top five in defensive scoring nationally. MacLeod is 14th in the nation in points per game.
""They deserve a lot of credit,"" UW head coach Mark Johnson said. ""I'm happy for them because they work hard and to see them recognized in this way is a good thing.""
As captain and assistant captain respectively, MacLeod and Engstrom also bear responsibility for leading the team, a responsibility they handle admirably, according to Johnson. ""Molly's quieter and lets her play dictate how she leads. Carla's a little more vocal, she's sort of like a coach, she understands the game.""
The contrast between the two has led to great chemistry on the ice and a friendship off the ice.
""I'm her biggest supporter and her biggest fan,"" said MacLeod. ""We've been close since freshman year, and we push each other."" Not that this cannot lead to a little friendly competition, as the two played each other in the Four Nations tournament last year and the under-22 nationals two years ago.
""It's always fun to play against people you know,"" Engstrom said. ""It's an added bonus any time you've got a friend on the other side,"" MacLeod added.
Despite the accolades, MacLeod and Engstrom know there is still work to be done.
""We're in the home stretch now-heading towards the playoffs you want to win every game up until then,"" MacLeod said.
Both players are happy with the way the team is headed as the season winds down.
""I think we're ready, we've got a good mentality,"" said Engstrom. ""We're playing well,"" added Johnson. ""We came out Sunday and played extremely well.""
Johnson knows now is not the time for complacency. ""You don't relax now, you push harder,"" he said. ""In the next four to five weeks, if we do well, the rewards are really high. You step it up and push yourself harder to get over that next hump.""
Coming off a sweep of Minnesota State last weekend, Wisconsin has momentum as Ohio State (11-12-1, 14-12-2), one of three teams to beat UW this season, rolls into town.
Adding to the motivation is the fact that this weekend's games will be the last home games for the five seniors on this Badger team. ""There's obviously sentimental value, but the most important thing is that we come out and win,"" Engstrom said.
The Badgers will take the ice on Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the Kohl Center.
