For the first time in school history, the No. 3 Wisconsin women's hockey team (9-1-0 WHCA, 11-1-0 overall) swept the No. 4 Minnesota Gophers (4-4-0, 9-5-0). The Badgers sealed the series with a 6-2 win on Saturday at Ridder Arena. It is the third time in Gophers' history that they have been swept at home.
Throughout the series, nine Badgers scored, while five women had multi-goal games. The Badgers took an early lead when freshman forward Tia Hanson took the puck down the ice and shot it over Gopher goalie Brittony Chartier's shoulder. Junior defender Bobbi-Jo Slusar had the assist.
Two minutes later, senior forward Nikki Burish scored her first goal of the season for the Badgers, ending her scoring slump. After the two early goals, the Gophers used their time out to try to calm the team down.
The Badgers faced two penalties soon after the second goal, which gave the Gophers a five-on-three power play. Seventeen seconds later, Anya Miller scored the first goal for the Gophers.
Badger junior goalie Christine Dufour played strongly to eliminate the nearly four-minute power play. Dufour played well throughout the game, with a career-tying high of 25 saves and 27 shots faced.
Toward the end of the first period, senior captain Sharon Cole scored with assists from sophomore forward Jinelle Zaugg and freshman defender Alycia Matthews.
Chelsea Brodt, a Gopher newcomer, was dealt a penalty with a check from behind at the end of the first period, giving the Badgers an advantage at the start of the second.
Twenty-seven seconds into the second period, the Badgers wasted no time when Sharon Cole scored for the second time of the night, assisted by Slusar.
An interference call was made only one minute after the goal, giving the Badgers another advantage with a power play. Junior assistant captain Sara Bauer capitalized on the opportunity on a pass from Cole. Bauer was held out of any scoring opportunities on Friday, breaking her 19-game point streak.
After Bauer's score, the Gophers switched goalies to freshman Kim Hanlon. In her third appearance, she made nine saves.
Six minutes into the final period, Jenelle Philipczyk scored the Gophers' final goal of the night, although it was not enough to make a comeback.
Seven minutes later, Zaugg scored the final goal of the night, adding to the Badgers' three-goal lead. The Badgers and Gophers skated the final seven minutes of the game scoreless.
The Badgers are heading east to New Hampshire over Thanksgiving weekend to play in the Dartmouth Tournament. There they will play both Dartmouth and No. 5 New Hampshire.
