Just shy of three months ago, an undefeated Wisconsin women's hockey team went on the road for the first time, heading to Minnesota to take on the Badgers' Border Battle rival.
By the time the game ended the Gophers had scored seven times, and after starting 8-0 Wisconsin left Ridder Arena having suffered their first defeat. For a team that has just two losses on the record, that Nov. 5 game stands out.
Although Wisconsin came back the next night to salvage a series sweep, the loss will be on the Badgers' minds when they face off against Minnesota at the Kohl Center Friday and Saturday nights.
""It was great for us to come out that next night there in Minneapolis and beat them like we had hoped, but that one still stings a little bit obviously, and we hope to get a little revenge this weekend,"" senior forward Meghan Duggan said.
Both teams have lost just one game since that November weekend, making the No. 1 Badgers and No. 5 Minnesota two of the hottest teams in college hockey. Their records and heated last meeting set the stage for another fight between the two rivals.
""It's probably irrelevant where we're playing,"" Badger head coach Mark Johnson said of facing Minnesota. ""Any time we play against this group, everyone from the coaching staff down to the players gets excited.""
Adding to the energy surrounding a Border Battle matchup is the prospect of Wisconsin setting an NCAA women's hockey attendance record at Saturday's ""Fill the Bowl"" promotion. In an effort to break the current mark of 8,263, set at last year's Camp Randall Hockey Classic, tickets for Saturday's game will be $1, and admission is free for students.
""For us as women's hockey players, we don't always draw the crowds that the men's side does,"" Duggan said, ""so it's exciting for us to get a couple thousand people in here.""
And as the Badgers look to break one record, Duggan is nearing one of her own, as the team captain is 13 points away from Wisconsin's career points record. Like her current 22-game point streak, however, Duggan said the record and other individual accomplishments are not things she spends much time thinking about.
""As long as the team's doing well I'm happy,"" she said. ""Our goal is to win a national championship and to do well as a whole, as long as my success continues to aid in the success of the team I'm happy either way.""
