Eventually the winning streak had to end, and the same team that Wisconsin began their winning streak against ended it. Wisconsin tied Minnesota 3-3 Sunday after the Badgers beat the Gophers 3-1 Saturday. Now the 19-game winning streak becomes a 20-game unbeaten streak.
It was not the disappointment of tying that was so antagonizing for the Badgers, but rather how it happened. With a 3-1 lead late in the third period, the Gophers rallied, scoring two goals against sophomore goalie Jessie Vetter in the last 1:12 of the third period, the second goal coming with two seconds remaining as Gopher Gigi Marvin redirected a bouncing puck past Vetter.
""We don't really know what happened, [Marvin] just turned around and hit it as hard as she could and it just squeaked in,"" Vetter said.
Vetter also started in Saturday's 3-1 win, the first time she has started both games of a series this year. Usually head coach Mark Johnson has gone with senior Christine Dufour for the latter game of each series.
""I felt comfortable with the way [Vetter] played yesterday ... and [I wanted] to see where she was in playing back-to-back games,"" Johnson said.
Scoring the three goals in the tie for the Badgers were Meghan Duggan, sophomore Kayla Hagen and senior Phoebe Monteleone. Duggan's goal was her sixth as a freshman and her ninth point overall.
In Saturday's win, the Badgers received two goals from Duggan and one from senior forward Sara Bauer, who is one assist shy of becoming the first Badger ever with 100 assists.
The difference between the two games was that Minnesota came to play on Sunday. Two statistics stand out from the two games: faceoffs won and shots on goal. Saturday, Wisconsin won 42 of the 58 faceoffs (including a 20-4 effort by Erika Lawler), while Sunday they won just 26 of 55. Wisconsin outshot Minnesota 36-14 Saturday, but Sunday the Gophers put 29 shots on Vetter while the Badgers managed only 21 shots.
Wisconsin is home next weekend against North Dakota Friday and Sunday with both games beginning at 2:07.
