MANKATO, Minn.— Senior Daryl Watts scored with 3:15 left in the third period to lift the top-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team to a 3-2 win at Minnesota State on Saturday at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
The three-time All-American and 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient scored on the Badgers' (2-1-0, 2-1-0-0 WCHA) third power play of the day off assists from Sophie Shirley and Grace Bowlby to give UW its first win in 2021.
The Badgers got on the board midway through the first as Bowlby sprung freshman Makenna Webster on a breakaway and the freshmen took advantage of her chance, potting her first goal to give UW a 1-0 lead over the Mavericks (2-6-1, 2-6-1-0 WCHA)
The UW lead wouldn't last long as Minnesota State's Sydney Langseth scored late in the opening to make it a 1-1 game heading into the first intermission.
Freshman Casey O'Brien found the back of the net late in the second off assists from Britta Curl and Bowlby to give UW a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.
However, Minnesota State answered midway through the third as Brittyn Fleming scored to tie the game at 2-2 before Watts scored her game-winning goal with 3:15 left in the third.
Three Notes of the Game:
- UW improved to 90-3-3 all time against Minnesota State, including a 39-1-2 ledger in Mankato.
- Grace Bowlby tied a career high with three assists on Saturday.
- UW outshot Minnesota State 30-20, including a 22-11 advantage over the final two periods of play
Straight from the Rink
UW head coach Mark Johnson:
On the power play:
"I thought for most of them, especially with our first group, we got some good looks. Each of them we got probably got one, maybe two, if not, three good looks. Early in the process that's what you want to try to do because you might get a bounce or you might get a goal out of it. By the time we got to the last one with four minutes to go, that's what we did. We were moving the puck well and got the opportunity to collect the rebound and put it in to win the game."
On coming back from the break:
"Obviously when you win a game the kids are excited and they feel good about themselves, which they should today. Only three practices in about a month, come out and play against a team that's played quite a few more games than we have and execute the way we did, that's a positive step. I look at it big picture, you try to get a little bit better tomorrow afternoon and then come back next week and have a couple good practices and obviously play at home for a couple weekends. It really is about the process, try not to get really wrapped up in one game or this game or that game. But certainly winning helps and makes you feel better."
Senior Daryl Watts:
On getting back pace and connections after the break:
"We have been off for a really long time and we couldn't really skate when we were home just because of the circumstance. So I think we were a little tired out there to start the first period, we were just trying to get our legs under us. But as the game progressed and then by the third period we felt a lot better than we did in the first period and we were just happy to beat them and we're ready to go tomorrow."
On winning off the power play goal at the end:
"We feel great right now after being off for so long. To be able to score a late goal to win the game is a great win and it creates great energy moving into tomorrow."
Up Next:
The Badgers and Mavericks wrap up their series on Sunday with a 2 p.m. game that can be seen live on FloHockey.
