No. 2 Badgers rally for 3-2 win over Minnesota State

Friday, January 19

Mankato, MN

6 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

19-4-0, 13-4-0

Minnesota State

10-14-0, 4-13-0

Wisconsin

Minnesota St.

Photo by: AJ Harrison

No. 2 Badgers rally for 3-2 win over Minnesota State

January 19, 2024 | Women's Hockey

Box Score

UW overcomes two-goal deficit to extend winning streak to six

MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team tallied three unanswered goals to take down Minnesota State, 3-2, on Friday night at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Cassie Hall, Kelly Gorbatenko and Kirsten Simms each lit the lamp as the Badgers (19-4-0, 13-4-0-0-1-0 WCHA) came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Mavericks (10-14-0, 4-13-0-1-1-0 WCHA).

The Mavericks struck first with a shorthanded tally in the first period, before adding another early in the second slate.

Hall got the Badgers on the board before Gorbatenko battled through a Minnesota State defender to score the equalizer late in the second period.

Simms gave the Badgers their first lead of the day with her team-leading 19th goal of the season.

Jane Gervais stopped 14 of the shots she faced for her 10th win of the season.

Three Notes of the Game
- Cassie Hall has scored in the last five games for the Badgers and currently has 15 goals on the season.
- Kirsten Simms once again leads the team in goals with 19 and also paces the team in points with 43.
- The Badgers outshot MSU 37-16, including a 13-3 advantage in the final stanza.

Straight from the Rink
Head Coach Mark Johnson
On Friday's hard-fought battle:
"We had a little adversity being down a couple of goals, but I thought that in the second period after (Cassie) Hall scored, we started to play a little bit better. It was a hard fought game and we found a way to win."

On Saturday's tilt against the Mavericks:
"It'll be similar to today. As I told the team after the game, the rest of the were there are no easy games on the schedule. We've got a lot of things to do to be successful, so we have to hone in on those and I thought that for most of the game, we were okay at it, but we have to be even stronger in some areas. Hopefully we can rebound tomorrow and come back and play three solid periods."

Freshman Kelly Gorbatenko
On the team improving as the game went on:
"I think we were able to settle in and we all just picked each other up on the bench. The energy increased, and we were able to go from there and get back to playing Wisconsin hockey."

Freshman Cassie Hall
On Saturday's tilt:
"It will definitely be a battle. They're going to come out hard, even harder than they did today, so it'll be a challenge, but I think we're ready."

Up Next: The Badgers wrap up their time in Mankato with a 3 p.m. contest on Saturday against the Mavericks. Fans can watch the game on Big Ten Plus or listen on 1070 The Game.