After winning their sixth WCHA playoff title with a 1-0 win over then-No. 2 Minnesota on Sunday, the No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team opens the 2016 NCAA Championship with an NCAA quarterfinal game at LaBahn Arena against Mercyhurst. Faceoff Saturday is set for 7 p.m. 

UW enters the weekend leading the country in scoring defense with a goals-against average of 0.68. UW has shutout its opponents in 22 of its 38 games this year and have allowed only 26 goals on the year.

The Cardinal and White also ranks fourth in the country scoring offense averaging 3.84 goals per contest. 

The Badgers lead the NCAA in penalty killing with a .945 clip. UW has killed 104 of its 110 penalties, and has scored seven short-handed goals in 38 games. 

The Badgers enter the weekend as the second seed in the NCAA tournament, winning the program's sixth WCHA playoff title on March 6, defeating Minnesota 1-0. The Badgers are 18-5 in their previous nine NCAA tournament appearances, winning national titles in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Player Notes
Annie Pankowski, a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist, leads the team with 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points this season. Pankowski ranks seventh in the nation for points per game, averaging 1.47 points per contest. After scoring three points against MSU on Feb. 14, Pankowski became the first Badger to record 50 points in a season since Brianna Decker in 2012-13.

Sophomore Emily Clark has notched 22 goals and 20 assists this season, averaging 1.17 points per game. She's tallied seven game-winning goals this season, tied for fourth in the NCAA. Clark has four points in UW's four postseason contests.

Junior Sarah Nurse ranks seventh in the country for goals per game, averaging 0.71 goals per contest. Her 24 goals lead all Badgers, as well as ranking third all-WCHA. The Hamilton, Ontario, native also ranks third nationally in shot-handed goals with three.

Ann-Renée Desbiens, a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist, leads the nation in save percentage (.961) and goals-against average (0.73). Desbiens' 20 shutouts this season are the most in NCAA men's or women's hockey history. Desbiens is the only goalie in NCAA history to record back-to-back seasons of 12 or more shutouts. Desbiens also has 37 career shutouts, which ranks second in program history and third in NCAA history

Junior Jenny Ryan ranks seventh in the country's defensemen in points per game, averaging 0.79 points per contest. Ryan's 30 points this season are a career high, coming from seven goals and 23 assists. She also has tallied three game-winning goals this season.

Senior Courtney Burke is third in the country in points among defensemen, averaging 0.87 points per contest. Her 106 career points are the third-most in program history among defensemen, as well as being tied for 18th among all players in program history.

Junior Sydney McKibbon leads the Badgers this year with six points in postseason play.

About Saturday's game
Saturday's NCAA quarterfinal game sold out within 24 hours, marking the 12th sellout of the season at LaBahn Arena. Parking for the game is available in Lot 91 for $5. 

A free video stream of Saturday's contest is available on UWBadgers.com, and fans can listen to the game on The Mic 92.1 FM as Reid Magnum and Alex Rigsby have the call. 

Number of the week
3-0 - Against Mercyhurst, Wisconsin has a 3-0 ledger in playoff games. All-time, Wisconsin leads 8-0-0, outscoring the Lakers 31-13.

The Series vs. Mercyhurst
Wisconsin leads the all-time series with Mercyhurst 8-0-0.

The series began in 2000 with a series at the Kohl Center on Oct. 14 and 15. 

UW has met Mercyhurst three times in the NCAA postseason. 

The Badgers won the first meeting, a 2-1 double-overtime thriller in the NCAA quarterfinal round. 

The two teams met against in the NCAA championship game in 2009, where UW blanked MU, 5-0, to capture the program's third NCAA title. 

The latest meeting was March 10, 2012 as the Badgers bested the Lakers, 3-1, in the NCAA quarterfinal round. 

Last time vs. Mercyhurst: Wisconsin 3, Mercyhurst 1 (March. 10, 2012)
Wisconsin advanced to the Frozen Four for the second-consecutive year after a shorthanded goal from senior Hilary Knight broke a third period tie with Mercyhurst. 

The No. 1 Badgers defeated the No. 8 Lakers, 3-1, in the NCAA quarterfinal match at the Kohl Center on Saturday night in front of 2,946 fans.

Mercyhurst's 28.3 percent on the power play coming into the game was the highest in the nation. However, Wisconsin came in with the nation's best penalty-kill unit and it was the Badgers that gained the upper hand.

With the game tied, 1-1, heading into the third period, Carolyne Prévost and Knight entered the Mercyhurst zone on a two-on-one during a Lakers power play. Prévost faked a shot and dished the puck over to Knight who scored the first shorthanded goal against Mercyhurst all season. The goal also stood as the game-winner, giving Knight nine game-winning goals on the season, which also leads the nation.

Alex Rigsby earned her 32nd win of the season giving up only one goal to the Lakers. Rigsby's 28 saves in the game pushed her season total to 1,001. Mercyhurst's Hillary Pattenden fell to 20-8-3 in the Laker's final game of the season. Pattenden ended the night with 38 saves, giving up two Badger goals. 

Both teams came out of the gates with high intensity with neither team able to hold control of the puck. Despite the back-and-forth play, the Badgers dominated on defense not allowing the Lakers to record a single shot on goal in the first half of the opening period.
Wisconsin capitalized on Mercyhurst turnovers early, as Brianna Decker snagged the puck away in her own zone and fired the puck to Prevost sitting on the opposite side of the net. Prévost beat Pattenden and put the puck in on the backdoor side to net the opening goal of the game.

The second period saw an increase in aggressiveness from the two teams as play continued at a back-and-forth pace. Mercyhurst was able to work the puck offensively more in the period, ending the period with an even 10 shots a side.

Wisconsin looked in control after breaking up a late Lakers' power play, but with forty seconds remaining in the period, Mercyhurst's Kelley Steadman pushed ahead of the pack following a faceoff and fired a shot past Rigsby to even the score at one apiece.

Knight's shorthanded goal at the 11:18 mark was her 29th career game-winning goal, the most in program history.

Wisconsin held the momentum after Knight's goal, but Mercyhurst continued to fight. The Lakers pulled Pattenden with three minutes left in the game opting for an extra attacker. However, the Badgers were the first to find the back of the net as Decker put the puck in the empty goal for the 3-1 win.

Last Time Out: Wisconsin 1, Minnesota 0 (March 6, 2016)
Two weeks after suffering their first sweep of the year at No. 2 Minnesota, the No. 3 Wisconsin women's hockey team sought redemption on Sunday as the two Border Battle rivals squared off in the 2016 WCHA Final Face-Off championship contest at Ridder Arena.

The Badgers were up to the task as 2016 WCHA Player of the Year Ann-Renée Desbiens made a career-high 35 saves and Sydney McKibbon scored midway through the second to give UW a 1-0 victory. 

Sunday's triumph gave UW its second-straight WCHA playoff title and its sixth tournament crown in program history.

Wisconsin (34-3-1) was outshot 35-24 by Minnesota (32-4-1), but Desbiens stopped every Gopher attempt at net, including 27 saves in the final 40 minutes. A top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, Desbiens leads the nation with a 0.73 goals-against average, and a .961 save percentage. The La Malbaie, Quebec, native added to her NCAA single-season record with her 20th shutout of the year.

McKibbon scored the deciding goal for the Badgers as the alternate captain paces the team with six postseason points off two goals and four assists.

McKibbon's performance earned her a place on the WCHA All-Tournament team, alongside Desbiens, senior captain Courtney Burke, and sophomore Emily Clark. Desbiens was also named the WCHA Final Face-Off's Most Outstanding Player after earning a pair of shutouts during the tournament.

Wisconsin allowed Minnesota to take only eight shots on goal in the first period, as both Desbiens and Minnesota goaltender Amanda Leveille held strong to keep the game scoreless thought the first frame.

Minnesota took charge of the second period, outshooting Wisconsin 13-7, but Desbiens made numerous big saves to keep her team in the game.

McKibbon's goal came at the 13:12 mark of the period, when line mate Rachel Jones shot the puck low on Leveille. McKibbon crashed in on the crease, knocking the puck loose and into the back of the net for the eventual game-winning tally.

The teams fought through a scoreless defensive battle in the final stanza, and Minnesota pulled Leveille for an extra attacker in the final minute but could not capitalize. The Badgers' defense held off Dani Cameranesi and Hanna Brandt, who rank first and second respectively in WCHA scoring.

Desbiens made a game-high 14 saves in the third period, while her teammates blocked six of Minnesota's shot attempts.

The Wisconsin penalty kill, sporting an NCAA-leading .945 clip, held off the dominant Minnesota power play four times to keep a hold on the lead.

Badgers Sweep WCHA Weekly Honors
For the second time this season, the No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team swept the WCHA weekly awards, as juniors Ann-Renée Desbiens andSydney McKibbon, and freshman Sophia Shaver each earned league accolades for the week of Feb. 29 - March 6, the conference announced Tuesday.

Desbiens earned her sixth WCHA Defensive Player of the Week nod of the year, posting two shutouts in the WCHA Final Face-Off to help Wisconsin win its second-consecutive conference playoff crown. The La Malbaie, Quebec native made 52 saves on the weekend to earn her 19th and 20th blank slates of the year, adding to her NCAA single-season shutout record. For her performance, Desbiens was named to the all-tournament team, as well as earning the tournament's most outstanding player award.

A top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, Desbiens continues to lead the nation in shutouts (20), goals-against average (0.73), and save percentage (.961), while ranking second in goaltender wins (32) and winning percentage (.903).

McKibbon earned her first career WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors, as the Oakville, Ontario, native tallied two points over the weekend to tie the league high. She tabbed the Badgers' lone goal in their 1-0 victory over Minnesota in the championship game and added an assist in the semifinal victory over Minnesota Duluth. McKibbon was named to the all-tournament team for her performance.

McKibbon leads UW in postseason points, registering two goals and four assists in four playoff contests. She has tallied a career-high 35 points this season from eight goals and 27 assists.

Shaver earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors after tying for the league's lead with two points on the weekend. She was the only Badger to register a multi-point game during the WCHA Final Face-off, dishing out two assists in the team's semifinal victory over UMD. The Wayzata, Minnesota, native was only one of two WCHA rookies to record a point over the weekend.

Nine Badgers to Compete at World Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation's Women's World Championships will have a Wisconsin flair, as nine current and former Badgers will compete for their home countries at the tournament.

Sophomore Emily Clark will join UW alums Blayre Turnbull and Meaghan Mikkelson on the Team Canada roster, while sophomore Annie Pankowski will compete for the United States alongside UW legends Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker, Meghan Duggan, Jessie Vetter, and Alex Rigsby.

The tournament will run from March 28 to April 4 in Kamloops, British Columbia. Team Canada and Team USA are set to square off on March 28 in semifinal play. Read about the Badgers on Team Canada and Team USA.

Koch recognized as AHCA Assistant Coach of the Year
Wisconsin women's hockey associate head coach Dan Koch was named the American Hockey Coaches Association Women's Hockey Assistant Coach of the Year, as announced by the group on Thursday.

A Madison native, Koch is in his fifth season as the Badgers' associate head coach after serving eight years as an assistant coach, amassing a 367-81-35 (.796) record behind the bench. Koch has assisted the Badgers to seven NCAA Frozen Fours and saw the team win three of their four national titles.

Koch oversees the stingy UW defense, which has ranked among the top-three teams nationally for scoring defense in 11 of his 12 seasons with the Badgers. That includes the 2006-07 squad that set the NCAA record with a 0.88 goals-against average. His defensemen have led the NCAA in scoring defense in three different seasons.

This season, Koch helped the Badgers set the NCAA men's and women's shutout record, tallying nine-consecutive shutouts that spanned over 624 minutes between Oct. 3 and Nov. 14. The Badgers have recorded shutouts in 12 of their 22 games this season and have a goals-against average of 0.64 to pace the country.

Koch also plays a part in the team's penalty kill, which has led the NCAA four of his 12 seasons. Last year, the UW penalty kill set the NCAA record with a .958 clip.

Koch will be recognized on April 29 during the 2016 AHCA Convention in Naples, Florida. Read more here.

Badgers sign seven for 2016-17 season
The Wisconsin women's hockey program and head coach Mark Johnson announced the signing of seven student-athletes for the 2016-17 season on Tuesday.

Joining the Badgers next fall are goaltenders Alyson Baldwin (Richmond, Texas) and Nicole Cece (Oakville, Ontario), forwards Alexis Mauermann (Janesville, Wisconsin), Presley Norby (Shorewood, Minnesota) and Abby Roque (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan) and defensemen Maddie Rowe (River Falls, Wisconsin) and MeKenzie Steffen (Centerville, Minnesota).

"It's a big class," Johnson said. "It's probably one or two players bigger than what we normally have, but with eight seniors graduating we need to fill positions and bring kids in who are capable of playing next year and helping the team. In saying that, you look at the group and whether in net, on the blue line or up front, there's a lot of exciting players and kids who have experienced good things at their respective club and high school teams but also at the national and international level."

Between the seven players, five have represented their respective countries at international events, including Norby, who played earlier this season for the United States National Team at the 2015 Four Nations Cup, helping Team USA win gold.

Learn more about the class here.

Note of the Week
Netminder Ann-Renée Desbiens has posted four consecutive shutouts in the 2015-16 postseason, stopping all 75 shots she has faced during the playoffs. In her career, Desbiens has played in 10 postseason contests for Wisconsin, stacking up a combined 0.70 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage in WCHA and NCAA playoff games.

The Quest for 400
Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson enters this weekend with a 394-74-35 record in his 13 years on the UW bench. His 394 wins are the third-most in NCAA Division I women's hockey history.

Johnson is only six wins away from becoming the third NCAA Division I women's hockey coach ever to win 400 games.

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 passed former UMD bench boss Shannon Miller for third on the NCAA list on Sunday with the team's 3-1 win over North Dakota.

Home, Sweet Home
At LaBahn Arena, the Badgers are tough to beat, as UW is 63-10-3 (.848) at the new barn. The Badgers have outscored their opponents 276-73 at LaBahn Arena, and have posted 33 shutouts.

In 20 home games this year, the Badgers have outscored their opposition 85-9 at LaBahn Arena. 11 of those 20 games have had sellout crowds, a program record.