It hasn't been an easy month for the Wisconsin women's hockey team (5-1-0 WCHA, 7-1-0 overall), but the Badgers have been able to make the most of their opportunities.
After back-to-back series with North Dakota and Minnesota, Wisconsin found itself in Duluth to face the No. 5 Bulldogs (0-2-0, 3-3-3).
The Badgers once again showed why they are the defending national champions, sweeping UMD by scores of 4-3 and 6-3. Overcoming a tough stretch of schedule and an early lead by the Bulldogs Friday night, Wisconsin put away another conference opponent.
Wisconsin opened the scoring early Friday on a then team-leading eighth goal from junior forward Brianna Decker. However, UMD would take the lead later in the first on a pair of goals by freshman forward Jenna McParland.
After exchanging goals again late in the second and early in the third, the game was tied at three.
The game wouldn't be decided until late in the third period. It appeared that UMD had the advantage when a cross check was called on Wisconsin senior defender Brittany Haverstock with 2:17 left in the third period. But it would be the Badgers that came out on top when the power play expired. Senior forward Hilary Knight was able to get the puck past the UMD goalie for the shorthanded goal which would stand as the game-winner.
The Badgers completed the sweep by taking advantage of every opportunity they had Saturday night. Wisconsin jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and the Badgers cruised to a 6-3 win.
With a comfortable 4-1 lead, the Badgers were helped out by a UMD miscue. Seeing the delayed penalty on Wisconsin, Duluth senior goalie Jennifer Harss left for the Bulldog bench. With the extra skater on, UMD mishandled the puck in the Badger zone and it ran the distance and found the back of the net.
Wisconsin sophomore goalie Alex Rigsby had two career nights despite giving up three goals each night. Facing 37 shots Friday night, Rigsby would turn away 34 of them, her second highest in a single game. Rigsby followed that up with a career-high 46-save performance in game two.
With the pair of wins, the Badgers are out to another exceptional start to their season. Despite looking like the Badgers from just one year ago, it is still too early to make any assumptions on where they will be at the end of the season.
The Badgers close out the month of October, and their toughest stretch of the season, against Boston University Oct 28 and 29 at the Kohl Center. The Badgers last faced Boston University in the 2010-'11 NCAA National Championship game, defeating the Terriers 4-1 to win the title.
UWBadgers.com contributed to this report.
