Nov. 1, 2009

Box Score | Box Score

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin women’s hockey team (5-3-0) defeated second-ranked Minnesota (8-2-0), 5-2 on Sunday at the Kohl Center to earn its first series sweep of the season. 

Not only did the Badgers hand the Gophers their first loss of the season on Friday, the win on Sunday marks the first time a team has swept Minnesota in a series since Minnesota Duluth swept the Gophers on Feb. 17-18, 2007.

The first period was action packed with five of the seven total goals scored in the first 20 minutes of play. The Badgers went up 3-2 after the first period and never relinquished the lead.

With 11:14 left in the first period, the Badgers were the first to make a mark on the scoreboard.

From junior Olivia Jakiel (Santa Clairta, Calif.), sophomore Brooke Ammerman (River Vale, N.J.) skated the length of the ice and missed the puck on a shot attempt, but junior Mallory Deluce (London, Ontario) came in from the left circle to backhand it in from the slot, giving Wisconsin the 1-0 lead. 
Minnesota answered with two back-to-back goals in the next six minutes.

With the man advantage, Minnesota’s Kelly Seeler sent the puck to Megan Bozek to the far side of the blue line. Bozek passed the puck across the ice to Sarah Erickson in the bottom of the faceoff circle. Erickson found the back of the net to tie the score at the 12:15 mark, as Wisconsin gave up its first power-play goal of the season.

Less than two minutes later, with 5:46 left in the first period, Minnesota’s Kelly Seeler passed the puck to Brittany Francis. Francis skated it in to Kelly Blankenship who from the crease sent the puck past UW’s Becca Ruegsegger to give the Gophers the 2-1 advantage.

The Badgers turned up the heat, answering with two goals of its own before the cessation of the first frame.

Wisconsin earned its second power-play goal of the season when senior captain Jasmine Giles (Ottawa, Ontario) sent the puck to freshman Stefanie McKeough (Carlsbad Springs, Ontario). From outside the right circle, McKeough passed the puck to Ammerman who from the crease backhanded it in to tie the score at 2-2.

The Badgers took the 3-2 lead with 31 seconds left in the first period when junior Kelly Nash (Bonita, Calif.) attempted to center the puck to freshman Breann Frykas (East St. Paul, Manitoba), but it hit a Minnesota defender and crossed the goal line. The goal marks Nash’s second goal of the season and was the eventual game-winner.

In the second period, from junior Geena Prough (Farmington, Mich.), Ammerman brought the puck from across the goal line and backhanded it in to give the Badgers the 4-2 lead.

Junior Malee Windmeier solidified her first goal of the season and the 5-2 victory with 9:34 left in the contest with the unassisted goal. Windmeier looked to dump the puck from behind the blue line, but got it past UM's keeper. The Gophers then replaced sophomore Alyssa Grogan in net for junior Jenny Lura.

Shortly after, the Wisconsin defense and Ruegsegger stood strong as Minnesota had the 5-on-3 advantage for a minute and 43 seconds late in the third but the Badgers did not surrender a goal.

“That was a momentum shifter when we were able to kill that 5-on-3,” Interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser said. “It brought energy to the bench as it usually does. Becca [Ruegsegger] had some great saves that kept us in the game.”

Each team picked up a power-play goal, the Gophers went 1-for-5 and the Badgers went 1-for-4 on the power play.

Although Minnesota outshot Wisconsin 40-15, Ruegsegger finished with a career-high 38 saves in the victory. UM’s Grogan and Lura finished with 10 and zero saves, respectively.

“The goaltending by Becca Ruegsegger was phenomenal,” said DeKeyser. “She did a great job doing simple things, keeping square to the puck and just her presence.”

After recording their first sweep of the season against No. 2 Minnesota, the Badgers look to host non-conference opponent Robert Morris.

 “The sweep is huge," said Ruegsegger. "It gives our team a lot of momentum and shows that we are working as a team and really building together. Definitely getting a sweep is a big step for our team.”

Wisconsin takes on the Colonials Nov. 6-7 at 2 p.m. at the Kohl Center.

Allison Metcalf                                                                                
Wisconsin Athletic Communications