A win is a win. That is how the saying goes. For the Wisconsin women's hockey team, (19-2-1 WCHA, 24-3-1 overall,) there is no exception. However, the next win will signify an accomplishment a little more special. For head coach, Mark Johnson, it will be career win No. 100 both as the Badger head coach, and in his coaching career.
After letting a chance slip by for Johnson to reach the 100-win plateau in a 1-0 loss at St. Cloud State Saturday, the Badgers are back at work to refocus themselves for the stretch run.
'Well, we ran into a hot goaltender [on] Saturday,' Johnson said. 'We played extremely well, [and] we threw a lot of shots at them. We didn't give up maybe one or two scoring chances the whole game. So, you know, we did play well.'
More importantly for the case of the Badgers, that loss did not end their season. It was more of a tool that will hopefully help the team refocus their goals.
As a member of the 1980 US Olympic team that shocked the world by defeating the Russians, Johnson remains modest in his attempt to reach the 100-win mark.
'Well it would get us two more points in the standings and put us closer to what we want to do,' Johnson said. 'The most important thing is our ability to come out and play hard, [and] play strong.'
Now deep into his fourth year as coach of the Badger women's hockey team, Johnson has compiled a record of 99-26-10. In doing so, he has broken previous records of wins in a season. During his first year he broke the school record by winning 22 games, only to top himself the following year with 25. Last season, he soared past those two totals and tallied 28 wins. With six games left in the 2005-2006 regular season campaign, coach Johnson could potentially have a helping hand in rewriting the record books once again, along with achieving win 100.
Perhaps a mark of a good coach is how they get their team to respond when they are dealing with a little adversity.
'I think we're doing the same things as usual,' senior forward and captain Sharon Cole said. 'We're just working hard in practice, maybe doing a few more scoring drills, but other than that we're just kind of sticking to our routine.'
Perhaps this last loss was a blessing in disguise. Johnson now has the chance to collect win No. 100 in front of the Badger faithful, and against rival Minnesota.
'Oh it would be great; I mean, winning is one of our goals for the whole year,' senior forward Nikki Burish said. 'We don't want to lose any games, so it being the 100th win for him too would have a little more meaning. It would be really neat.'
Not only has coach Johnson helped shape young women into great athletes and great players, he has also shaped his assistants in a way that is more than notable.
'I've tried to absorb as much as possible,' assistant coach Tracey Cornell said. 'He's just a wealth of information, whether it be drills or, you know, moves or stuff you're just watching. He pulls it out of his pocket all the time.'
Even if win 100 does not come this weekend, Johnson's impression on UW women's hockey will nonetheless be incomparable.
