A little more than six months ago, the UW women's hockey team defeated rival Minnesota 3-0 to win their first national championship as a program. This past weekend, they picked up right where they left off defeating Quinnipiac 3-0 and 5-1.
After a banner celebration featuring fireworks, UW grabbed the lead quickly Friday night. While on a power play early in the first period, senior forward and returning Patty Kazmaier award winner Sara Bauer found senior defender Bobbi-Jo Slusar open near the blue line. Slusar then blasted a slap shot that found the back of the net, giving the Badgers their first power play goal of the season.
UW kept the momentum strong in the second period after the Bobcats goalie was unable to snare the puck and junior forward Jinelle Zaugg was able to push it into the net for a two-goal lead. Wisconsin added another insurance goal early into the third period when freshman forward Kyla Sanders scored off an assist from Zaugg and sophomore defender Alycia Matthews, thus ending the scoring for the Badgers.
Saturday featured much of the same results. The first period provided a total of seven penalties called on the two teams including the power play when UW was able to take the lead. Senior defender Meaghan Mikkelson put the puck on net and Zaugg was in the right place at the right time as she deflected it into the net, giving the Badgers an early 1-0 lead. After being hit with a five minute major, Quinnipiac responded well by killing off the power play and sneaking a shorthanded goal by Badgers senior goalie Christine Dufour, tying the score at 1-1.
The Badgers came out on fire in the second period when Bauer was able to notch a goal almost nine minutes into the second period. Only a minute later, freshman forward Meghan Duggan dumped the puck to sophomore forward Erika Lawler, who then put it past the Bobcats goalie for her first goal of the year. Freshman forward Jasmine Giles scored her first goal as a Badger to finish the scoring of the second period.
Late in the third period, Duggan netted her first goal as a Badger after finishing a beautiful one-timer from Lawler. UW won the game 5-1 and kept their winning streak going strong, now at fourteen games. Dufour recorded 15 saves while playing her 37th game as a Badger. The Badger offense was also a force while out-shooting the Bobcats 22-3 in the second period.
UW will play host to St. Cloud State next weekend. Both Friday and Saturday's games start at 7 p.m. at the Kohl Center.
