Although the Badger women's hockey team (27-1-4) finishes the regular season this weekend, its play during the 2006-'07 campaign leads one to believe that they are hardly finished playing hockey, as the team has not lost since November.
They go up against a Bemidji State Beaver squad (11-16-5) that limps into Madison having won one out of its last eight games. The Beavers did win at Minnesota last weekend and will look to use that momentum to their advantage against Wisconsin. However, some of the momentum may have already been lost, as Bemidji State fell to Minnesota in the latter game of the series.
Wisconsin proved last weekend that it is not going to let up, even though it clinched the WCHA two weekends ago. The Badgers are coming off a sweep of an Ohio State Buckeyes team that had much to play for last weekend, entering the Kohl Center very much at large for an NCAA tournament bid and departing with losses of 5-2 and 3-2.
Beaver junior goalie Emily Brookshaw will see a wave of offense from the Badgers. Already seeing 28 shots per game, she will go up against a Wisconsin offense that has offered 35 shots on net each game. In comparison, the Badger defense has let up 18 shots per game.
The Badgers will use their goalie rotation of sophomore Jessie Vetter and senior Christine Dufour, who has not lost since the beginning of the 2005-'06 championship run. It will be interesting to see who Johnson chooses to stick with come WCHA and NCAA tournament time. Most signs point to Vetter, who saw all the action enroute to the program's first title last season after Johnson benched senior goalie Meghan Horras and Dufour in favor of Vetter. Thus, benching Dufour would not be unorthodox.
The outlook for sub .500 Bemidji State is not good for the 2007-'08 run, as seven of its top eight scorers graduate after this season, with its top underclassman totaling five points. Its leading scorer, senior forward Kelly Hart (21 points), experienced a decline in scoring this season compared to her last two.
Wisconsin senior Sara Bauer trails Mercyhurst freshman phenom Meghan Agosta (59 points) by one point for the national lead, although Agosta has played four fewer games.
The Badgers also feature three current players and two former stars that were recently selected for the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team, which will compete in the International Ice Hockey Federation and Women's World Championship from April 3-10. Led by Badger head coach Mark Johnson, the U.S. team will showcase Vetter, sophomore forward Erika Lawler, freshman forward Meghan Duggan and former Badger defensemen Molly Engstrom and Kerry Weiland.
Look for Wisconsin to strike early and often against the weak Beaver defense and shut down Bemidji State's offense as it looks to earn its 28th and 29th wins of the season.
Friday's game is at the Kohl Center while Saturday's game will be played at the Eagle's Nest in Verona.
