MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – Thanks to three power-play goals, the top-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team earned a 5-3 win over St. Thomas on Friday evening at St. Thomas Ice Arena. 

Kirsten Simms scored twice in the first period for the Badgers (9-0-0, 5-0-0 WCHA) while Katie Kotlowski, Anna Wilgren, Britta Curl all added power-play tallies in the series opener against the Tommies (4-5-0, 0-5-0 WCHA).

Simms got the Badgers on the board with a pair of goals, before St. Thomas was able to score twice to tie things up late in the first period. 

The Badgers tacked on a pair of power-play goals in the second period as Kotlowski found the back of the net to give UW a 3-2 lead with 12 minutes to go. However, St. Thomas scored 30 seconds later to knot the game at 3-3.

In the second half of the period, each team had a five-minute power play, but the Badgers were able to kill off their five-minute major and converted on the long power play as Wilgren scored her first as a Badger with just over a minute to go in the frame, lifting UW to a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. 

Captain Curl extended her eight-game goal streak with the Badgers' third power play goal of the game as she found the back of the net off a rebound. 

Jane Gervais stopped 18 of the shots she faced for her fourth win of the season.

Three Notes of the Game
- Curl now has scored in eight-straight games, which is tied for the second-longest goal streak in program history. Hilary Knight and Kelly Kegley both recorded eight-game goal streaks, while Meghan Duggan holds the school record with goals in nine-straight games. 
- The Badger power play went 3-for-5 on the evening and lead the country with 15 power-play goals this season. 
- Casey O'Brien moved into a tie with Sis Paulsen for 20th in school history in career points with 130 points.

Up Next: The Badgers and Tommies wrap up their series on Saturday with a 5 p.m. contest at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn. Fans can watch the game live on Big Ten Plus or listen on 1070 AM.