Two weeks ago, the Wisconsin women's hockey team traveled to Minneapolis for a weekend series, and the jitters that come with a season's first road trip were apparent.
After starting their year with eight home games and as many wins, the Badgers suffered their first loss of the season against Minnesota in the series opener. The next night, however, those nerves calmed and Wisconsin claimed a dominant win.
With their second road series upon them after a week off, the Badgers will look to carry that confidence over when they travel to Robert Morris.
""A road trip throws a couple of kinks in some things,"" senior forward Meghan Duggan said. ""Now that we've had that one experience they get more accustomed to what goes on.""
Wisconsin will travel to Pittsburgh to face off against the Colonials, who play in the College Hockey America conference. The most recent time the Badgers saw Robert Morris came early last November when Wisconsin dropped the first game of the series but regrouped to earn an overtime victory and salvage a split at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers' offense struggled in that series, but those issues have disappeared this season. While the return of Duggan and junior forward Hilary Knight from the U.S. Olympic Team has certainly helped, Wisconsin's ability to stay healthy has also played a role.
With so few players missing time due to injury, the team boasts a deep group of goal-scoring forwards and talented blueliners.
""Knock on wood, that's a great thing,"" Duggan said of the Badgers' health, which she credited to the team's trainers and their dedication to injury prevention. ""Obviously that translates out on the ice and keeps us out of the training room.""
Head coach Mark Johnson said he was happy to see so many healthy players, especially given the medical treatment players like freshman goaltender Alex Rigsby and freshman forward Madison Packer needed during the off-season.
""That was one of the concerns coming into the season with some of our kids who had surgery over the summer,"" he said. ""If you go an entire season and stay healthy, that bodes well for you.""
Johnson did mention fatigue as an issue for the three Badgers who played with USA Hockey at the Four Nations Cup over the weekend. Although their teammates had a bye week, Knight, Duggan and sophomore forward Brianna Decker played four games of at the annual international tournament.
Knight said they will get help from the Badgers' training staff to recuperate from the Four Nations and return to college hockey.
""We've got some great resources here,"" Knight said. ""It was a challenge for the body to go in and out of the rigor of the game, but [the tournament] was fun at the same time.""
Wisconsin will face off against Robert Morris at 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
