Badgers Bury Huskies 8-1 To Sweep Series
November 22, 2003 | Women's Hockey
The sixth-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team earned a two-game series sweep Saturday evening after knocking off St. Cloud State 8-1 at the Eagle's Nest in Verona, Wis.
UW defender Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.) led the Badgers in scoring with one goal and two assists, while teammates Steph Millar and Jackie Friesen both chipped in two goals a piece to contribute to the victory.
Frosh goaltender Christine Dufour collected 17 saves in the win, while St. Cloud's Lauri St. Jacques posted 34 saves in net, after the Badgers outshot the Huskies 42-18 in the contest.
Senior assistant captain Meghan Hunter opened up scoring for Wisconsin at 12:30 in the first period off an assist from classmate Karen Rickard. A native of Oil Spring's Ontario, Hunter has now tied former Badger Kendra Antony 's all-time career scoring mark of 159 points with the penalty-play goal against St. Cloud. She has racked up 78 goals and 81 assists in 112 career games for the 159-point tying mark.
It would take just 11 more seconds for the Badgers to take a 2-0 lead against the Huskies. Friesen, a UW junior, tallied the first of her two goals at 12:41 courtesy of an assist from Amy Vermeulen. St. Cloud's Carrie Halldorf broke Wisconsin's hopes of a shutout at the 18-minute mark however, after teammate Kobi Kawamoto set up the shot to beat Dufour in the UW net and end the first period with the Badgers' lead shortened to 2-1.
After the first 20 minutes though, it was all Badger scoring on the ice of the Eagle's Nest. Wisconsin's veteran skaters racked up six unanswered goals in the final two periods for the UW's 11th win of the season.
Frosh Lindsay Macy and sophomore Nikki Burish teamed up for the Badgers next scoring opportunity, a tipped-in shot by Millar that beat St. Jacques at 5:58 in the second period. The Huskies suffered their next two goals against St. Jacques after St. Cloud penalties put Wisconsin on the power play. Burish and Engstrom set up Friesen for her second goal of the night at 14:03, followed two minutes later by Engstrom's own goal at 16:23 with an assist from captain Carla MacLeod. Overall, Wisconsin's special teams killed seven St. Cloud penalties and converted four of six power plays in the game.
Up 5-1 entering the third period, Wisconsin looked to their younger skaters for the next lamplighter against the Huskies. Hailing from St. Albert, Alberta, frosh forward Meaghan Mikkelson fired in goal number six at 7:10 with assists credited to fellow frosh Sara Bauer and sophomore Sharon Cole.
Millar and Vermeulen combined for the Badger AC's second goal of the game at 12:35, while a late tripping penalty against St. Cloud set up a UW power-play in the 14th minute for Wisconsin's last score of the series. Looking for an open shot, Engstrom sent a cross to senior Kathryn Greaves up high on the right near the blue line. Greaves' shot-on-goal sailed straight past St. Jacques in the Huskie net to end the Badger scoring barrage and also notch Greaves' first goal of the season.
Wisconsin, now 11-3-0 overall and 7-3-0 WCHA will take a well-deserved break next weekend before traveling to north for a two-game series at Minnesota-Duluth, Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6.
The series against the three-time defending NCAA champ Bulldogs will be the Badgers' last action before a one-month break from play for winter vacation. Wisconsin will begin 2004 with a two-game series in Long Beach, Calif., Jan. 10-11, against Northeastern.
