ERIE, Pa.—When the Wisconsin women's hockey team took the ice Sunday afternoon, most considered them the favorites to win the National Championship.
Headlined by names like Hilary Knight and the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Meghan Duggan, Wisconsin's top lines pack a punch.
However, winning the 2011 NCAA National Championship proved to take more than just a couple of big names.
In order for the Badgers to secure the programs fourth national title, head coach Mark Johnson needed every one of his players.
"It's no different than in 1980," Johnson said. "Everybody knew who Jim Craig was, but without our backup goalie Steve Janaszak doing what he did, and his commitment to the team and strengthening that group, we don't walk away with that gold medal."
For Wisconsin Sunday, junior forward Carolyne Prevost, senior forward Mallory Deluce and senior forward Kelly Nash came up huge. The line combined for three out of the four goals that allowed the Badgers to hoist the trophy.
"That line, for that second part of the season, has been outstanding for us," Duggan said.
The unsung heroes of the team quite often stole the spotlight from the Badgers top lines, and it has been this way for most of the latter part of the season, particularly in the playoffs.
It's all about peaking at the right time of the year, and these players did just that. After catching the first glimpse of what the third line could do with Nash netting the overtime winner in the WCHA final, it became apparent the Badgers had a team that consists of nine top forwards.
"They really turned it on in the second half of the year and it made us a deeper team," junior forward Brooke Ammerman said. "When you have three lines that can go and you have nine forwards that can score, it's pretty hard to beat."
Of all the players on the ice Sunday, Prevost stood out over everyone else, however. She played the game of her life, netting two goals on five shots. The Ontario native opened the scoring in the second period on a great deflection off a low shot by sophomore defender Alev Kelter. Prevost would also cap off the Badger win on an empty netter with 18 seconds remaining in the game.
Not only did Prevost pressure the Boston University defense well, she was able to create some magic with her speed and fantastic hands. Beating BU freshman netminder Kerrin Sperry midway through the second period, Prevost's wrist shot rang off the crossbar. Again in the second, Prevost found herself on a breakaway. She pulled off a toe drag to get a shot on net, but Sperry got the best of the play and made an outstanding save.
Prevost earned some recognition for her efforts throughout the tournament by being named to the NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team along with fellow Badgers Hilary Knight, Meghan Duggan and Alev Kelter.
"Prevost had an exceptionally incredible game," Duggan said. "She's so fast, that girl, she can just fly by people and she really showed that tonight."
Just a junior, Prevost has certainly shown her ability to shine in the biggest of games. Her senior leadership next year is one reason the Badgers have already been pegged by many as favorites to defend their title in 2012.
