Minnesota Duluth came to Wisconsin this weekend and earned some measure of revenge for last season's national championship game loss against the Badgers as the Bulldogs swept Wisconsin 3-1 and 3-2.
On Friday, the Badgers fell down 1-0 in the first period when freshman forward Laura Fridfinnson scored her fifth goal of the season.
In the second period, freshman forward Iya Gavrilova scored her fifth goal of the season for a two goal lead.
Wisconsin junior forward Tia Hanson scored her first goal of the season later in the second period to make it a one goal game.
Two minutes later, the Bulldogs removed all Badger momentum generated by the Hanson goal when freshman forward Haley Irwin scored her eighth goal of the season, making it a two goal game.
The Badgers did not score again despite a 5-on-3 power play chance in the third period.
Vetter made 19 saves, while sophomore goalie Kim Martin made 31 saves in the winning effort.
Saturday, the Badgers appeared to have the split wrapped up when it took a one goal lead into the final minute. However, a goal by Gavrilova with 25 seconds left in the third period tied the game.
Fifteen seconds into overtime Gavrilova scored on a breakaway for the game winner.
Vetter made 22 saves, while Martin made 32 saves.
Wisconsin dropped to 10-6-2 on the season and is now eight points behind Minnesota-Duluth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings, and five points behind Minnesota for second.
The Badgers will head to North Dakota this weekend to face the improving North Dakota Fighting Sioux, who has won three WCHA games this season compared to the zero it won in 2006-'07.
Analysis
The Badgers outplayed the Bulldogs for much of the series, outshooting them in both games and leaving the Badgers feeling like they deserved at least one win in the series.
We're already marking down our calendar when we get to play them up in Duluth,"" Vetter said.
Head coach Mark Johnson felt his team hung with Minnesota-Duluth just fine over the series, but he still sees room for improvement.
""It's just a matter of being consistent over 60 minutes,"" Johnson said.
Sophomore forward Meghan Duggan showed the spark she had last season, firing a laser past Martin which gave Wisconsin the lead in the third period Saturday.
""It obviously feels good to get the team going and score a goal in a big game. That shift was just an unbelievable effort by everyone on the ice,"" Duggan said.
However, Wisconsin's second leading scorer, senior forward Jinelle Zaugg was benched by Johnson Saturday for some of the second and all of the third period as he wanted more effort from his assistant captain.
""I wasn't getting much out of her,"" he said. ""You have to compete and you have to play if you want ice time.""
The Badgers are still optimistic about the season's outlook.
""We played really well so we can definitely build off this,"" Vetter said.
""We're just going to get down and dirty in practice and get back to basics and just finish strong before Christmas break.""
Badgers sign three for 2008-'09
The Wisconsin women's hockey team signed three recruits late last week to national letters of intent.
The three include Brooke Ammerman, a forward from River Vale, N.J., Carolyne Prevost, a forward from Sarnia, Ontario and Brittany Haverstock, defenseman from Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia.
