The No. 5 Wisconsin women's hockey team (12-4-2 WCHA, 16-6-2 overall) will return to the Kohl Center for the first time in two months to face off against the No. 9 Huskies of St. Cloud State.
St. Cloud ended Wisconsin's record 32-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 victory the last time they played on Oct. 19.
In the loss, Wisconsin almost forced overtime when they put the puck in net with seven seconds left in regulation. The goal, however, was disallowed because a UW player was in the crease. The Badgers bounced back, however, as senior forward Jinelle Zaugg and freshman forward Mallory Deluce combined for all of the goals in a 5-0 victory the following night.
Every game from here on out is important, especially games like this,"" junior forward Angie Keseley said. ""They gave us a run for our money last time we played them, and I think we need to come out hard or they could come out with a win.""
The Huskies are 10-5-3 in the WCHA, despite being outscored 40-43 in conference games. They currently sit three points behind the Badgers in the standings at fourth place.
Wisconsin is riding a six-game winning streak after sweeping Minnesota State, North Dakota and Ohio State on the road.
""The second half of the season you're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,"" junior forward Erika Lawler said. ""You've been playing together for the first half and so things ... start to fall together but it's also human nature to just work harder when you see something to work for ... I think we have a new fire in the second half and everything's working out for us so far.""
St. Cloud's hopes for victory will rest on senior netminder Kendall Newell. Newell has the second best save percentage in the conference at .934, but her Huskies have a 1-5-4 record when they allow more than one goal.
The Badgers will counter with an offense that is scoring more than three goals per game and boasts three 20-point scorers. In net Wisconsin will send out junior goaltender Jessie Vetter who is the reigning WCHA Defensive Player of the Week.
One of the Badgers' top forwards sophomore Meghan Duggan returned last weekend from an injury that cost her three games. She is currently fourth on the team with 19 points and last season was the WCHA Freshman of the Year.
""Duggan just brings such energy. On the ice and off the ice with her character, she gets things going in the locker room,"" Vetter said. ""Her energy helps the team out so much.""
Although the Badgers all looking up in the standings at Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota, some players have voiced excitement about coming together to meet that challenge in the season's second half. Wisconsin went undefeated after Winter Break last season.
""If we can take care of the little things like we have on the last four or five weekends of play, then our chance of being successful and winning go up,"" head coach Mark Johnson said. ""If we don't do that obviously your chances of losing increase.
