The No. 1 Wisconsin women's hockey team, off to its best start in program history, returns home to take on non-conference foe Lindenwood in a Friday/Sunday series at LaBahn Arena. Both games this weekend will begin at 2 p.m.
Key notes to consider
The Badgers saw their historic shutout streak draw to a close last Saturday as UW gave up a pair of goals in the third period in its 4-2 win over Minnesota Duluth. Wisconsin had a streak of nine-straight shutouts, the longest streak in NCAA hockey history, and went 624 minutes, 18 seconds without giving up a goal.
October WCHA Defensive Player of the Month Ann-Renée Desbiens had a shutout streak of 543:53, almost 100 minutes more than the old NCAA record of 448:32 that UW legend Jessie Vetter set during the 2006-07 season. Desbiens now has eight shutouts this season to lead the NCAA and her 25 career blank slates are tied for the sixth-most in NCAA history.
UW sits on top of the WCHA standings with 30 points through its first 10 games of the league slate.
ASophomore Annie Pankowski ranks sixth in the nation in scoring, averaging 2.00 points per contest. The Laguna Hills, California, native also has a 15-game point streak heading into this weekend's series, which is the seventh-longest in program history.
Junior Jenny Ryan leads the country's defensemen in scoring, averaging 1.33 points per contest, while senior Courtney Burke is second, averaging 1.17 points per contest.
Wisconsin leads the country in scoring defense (0.33 GAA), penalty kill (.974) and is one of two teams still unbeaten in the country.
Number of the Week
2,205 -The No. 1-ranked Badgers carry a 39-game unbeaten streak against non-conference opponents into this weekend's series with Lindenwood at LaBahn Arena. UW hasn't lost a game to an opponent outside the WCHA since Nov. 6, 2009 -- a span that will reach 2,205 days by the time the puck drops Friday.
The Series vs. Lindenwood
The Badgers lead the overall series withLindenwood 8-0-0 and have a 4-0-0 recordagainst the Lady Lions in Madison.
It marks the fifth-straight season that UWand LU have met.
The Badgers have outscored the LadyLions 62-6 in the previous eight meetings.
Wisconsin took the series last year againstLindenwood in Wentzville, Missouri,defeating LU 5-1 and 6-0.
The Shutout Streak
Wisconsin saw its NCAA-record shutout streak end at UMD on Saturday, as the Badgers had nine straight shutouts and 624 minutes, 18 seconds of shutout hockey.
The Cardinal and White went 41 calendar days between giving up a first-period goal in its 8-1 win on Oct. 3 against Providence and a third-period tally in its 4-2 win over Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 14.
The shutout streak was three games longer than the previous women's NCAA record of six games held by Minnesota (2012-13) and New Hampshire (2005-06).
Ann-Renée Desbiens was spectacular during the streak, not allowing a goal for 543:53, which was almost 100 minutes more than the old NCAA record of 448:32 that UW legend Jessie Vetter set during the 2006-07 season.
Ryan named WCHA Defensive Player of the WeekFor the first time in her career, Wisconsin women's hockey junior defensemanJenny Ryanwas named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Nov. 9-15.
Ryan is the first UW defenseman to take home the award since Anne Dronen received the honor on Jan. 5, 2011. It also marks the third time in four weeks a UW player has been honored as the league's defensive player of the week. Goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens earned the honor on Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.
A Victor, New York, native, Ryan had a career weekend against Minnesota Duluth, recording four assists and a 4 plus/minus rating in UW's fourth-ever sweep of the Bulldogs in Duluth.
On Friday, Ryan was named the game's No. 1 star after tallying a career-high three assists to lead UW to a 3-0 win. She also tallied an assist on UW's first goal in its 4-2 win over UMD on Saturday.
Ryan helped Wisconsin earn its ninth-straight shutout on Friday, an NCAA hockey record and has played an instrumental role in UW's defense that has allowed only four goals in 12 game this year.
The Badgers' assistant captain has shined on the offensive end for UW with two goals and 14 assists, which is tied for the team lead. Ryan's 1.33 points-per-game average is the best among defensemen in the NCAA. Last time vs. Lindenwood: Wisconsin 6, Lindenwood 0 (Sept. 27, 2014)
Six different Badgers lit the lamp, while goaltender Jorie Walters earned her first career win and shutout as the No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team defeated Lindenwood, 6-0, on Sept. 27, 2014 at the Lindenwood Ice Arena.
Walters, making her first career regular season start, stopped all 19 shots she faced to pick up the win for the Badgers.
Katy Josephs, Mikayla Johnson, Karley Sylvester, Erika Sowchuk, Sydney McKibbon and Jenny Ryan all found the back of the net against Lindenwood to help UW complete the sweep of the Lady Lions. Wisconsin outshot Lindenwood, 48-19 and enjoyed a 102-29 shots on goal advantage during the two-game series.
Sylvester also added three assists, while Annie Pankowski chipped in four assists. In all, 10 different Badgers registered points on theweekend, while seven different players tallied goals.
In the first period, Josephs scored her third goal of the weekend to give UW a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The Badgers tacked on two more goals in the second, as Mikayla Johnson scored halfway through the period before Sylvester tallied a power-play goal. UW's 27 shots in the second period were the third most in a single period for UW.
The Badgers closed out the game scoring three goals in the final 11 minutes to put the game out of reach. Sowchuk and McKibbon each notched their second goals of the series before Ryan scored with 22 seconds remaining.
UW finished the game 1-for-2 on the power play, while killing both of its own penalties.
Last Time Out: Wisconsin 4, Minnesota Duluth 2 (Nov. 14, 2015)
Despite giving up its first goal in over the month, the top-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team improved to 12-0-0 for the first time in program history with a 4-2 win over Minnesota Duluth at AMSOIL Arena on Saturday.
Wisconsin saw its historic run of shutout hockey end in the third period, as the Badgers entered Saturday's game with nine-straight shutouts, a NCAA Division I record. The Badgers went 624 minutes, 18 seconds between giving up a power-play goal on Oct. 3 in an 8-1 win over Providence and a goal three minutes into the third period Saturday.
During the shutout streak, junior goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens shut out the opposition for 543:53, almost 100 minutes more than the old NCAA record of 448:32 that UW legend Jessie Vetter set during the 2006-07 season.
Desbiens collected 20 saves, including 13 in the second period, to improve to 11-0-0 this season.
Annie Pankowski led the UW offense with a goal and two assists to bring her point streak to 15 games, which is the seventh-longest streak in program history. The sophomore leads Wisconsin with 10 goals, 14 assists and 24 points.
Erika Sowchuk, Courtney Burke and Emily Clark also lit the lamp for the Cardinal and White.
In the first period, Sowchuk scored her second of the weekend, poking the puck past UMD netminder Kayla Black at the 5:49 mark of the period to give UW a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later on the Badgers' first power play of the contest, Pankowski took a beautiful feed from junior Sarah Nurse and beat Black top corner to double the UW advantage. UW outshot UMD 11-6 in the first frame.
With just 30 seconds left in the second, Burke launched a rocket on UW's third power play that dinged off the left post, right post and across the goal line to give Wisconsin a 3-0 lead. It marked her 86th career point, moving her into sole possession of fourth on the school's all-time points list among defensemen.
Clark scored early in the third on the Badgers' fourth power-play of the game to give UW a 4-0 lead.
Minnesota Duluth's Maria Lindh ended the Badgers' scoreless streak, firing a puck past Desbiens to cut into the UW lead at the 3:03 mark of the final frame
With just over three minutes left, UMD's Lynn Astrup beat Desbiens to make it a 4-2 game, but the Badgers were able to hold to for the win.
Wisconsin went 3 for 6 on the power play, while killing all four of its penalties.
The Cardinal and White are one of two unbeaten teams in the country along with No. 2 Boston College.
Oh Captain, My Captains
Senior Courtney Burke will serve as captain for the Wisconsin Women's hockey team during the 2015-16 season, while juniors Sydney McKibbon and Jenny Ryan will be assistant captains this season.
Burke is the first defenseman to serve as the Badgers' captain since Emily Morris donned the "C" on her sweater during the 2007-08 season.
A native of Albany, New York, Burke has been named program's Defensive Player is the Year in each of her three years at Wisconsin. Burke ranks sixth in school history in defenseman scoring with 73 points after tallying 24 points during her junior year. Her 0.06 points per game average ranked 20th nationally among defensemen.
A native of Oakville, Ontario, McKibbon played in all 40 games for Wisconsin during the 2014-15 season, scoring 10 goals while adding 16 assists. Five of her 15 career goals are game winners, and the junior center ranked second in the conference last year with a .604 face-off win percentage.
The 2015 NCAA Elite 89 winner for women's hockey, Ryan has played in all 40 games for UW last year, scoring three goals while adding 19 assists. Ryan, a native of Victor, New York, also had a 30 plus/minus rating for the Badgers last year.
Note of the Week
Wisconsin goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens's25 career shutoutsnot onlyrankthird in program history,but the junior goaltender is also tiedfor sixth inNCAA history in shutouts heading into this weekend.
The Quest for 400
Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson enters this weekend with a 372-70-34 record in his 13 years on the UW bench. His 372 wins are the fourth-most in NCAA Division I women's hockey history.
The other three coaches to reach 350 wins at the NCAA Division I level are Katey Stone (Harvard), Michael Sisti (Mercyhurst) and Shannon Miller (Minnesota Duluth).
Johnson only needs 14 wins to pass former UMD bench boss Shannon Miller for third on the all-time list.
Home, Sweet Home
At LaBahn Arena, the Badgers are tough to beat, as UW is 47-11-3 (.819) at the new barn.The Badgers have outscored their opponents 185-60 at LaBahn Arena, and have posted 21 shutouts.
Against Lindenwood at LaBahn Arena, the Badgers are 2-0-0, earning a 5-1 win on Oct. 25, 2013 before tallying a 4-1 win on Oct. 26, 2013.
In four home games this year, the Badgers have outscored their opposition 22-0 at LaBahn Arena.
