MADISON — Wisconsin’s top line – nicknamed the WOW line for the first initials of their last names – lived up to the moniker on Saturday afternoon. Casey O’Brien, Makenna Webster and Daryl Watts were responsible for nine of Wisconsin’s 15 points in the game. O’Brien led the team with two goals and three assists. Watts’ goal and assist give her 296 career points – seven shy of Meghan Agosta’s all-time record of 303. Chayla Edwards also added two assists in the win.
“it was nice to see them create some space and get some goals,” said Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson about his top line. “We capitalized when we needed to and talked about trying to play ahead and we did that.”
Wisconsin got out to a quick start with a goal from O’Brien 66 seconds into the game. Nicole LaMantia got the puck from Daryl Watts after a faceoff and put it on net. Bemidji goalie Kerigan Dowhy made the stop but couldn’t hold on to the puck. O’Brien picked it up and skated it around the crease to tuck it behind Dowhy and make it 1-0 early.
Bemidji State’s Paige Beebe was called for a major penalty at 6:33 of the first and was sent off. Wisconsin moved the puck well on the extended power play, but Dowhy kept them off the board until LaMantia cheated in a bit from the point and one-timed a pass from O’Brien at the top of the circles that went bar down to make it 2-0.
In the closing minutes of the opening frame, the Badgers were building out of their defensive zone. O’Brien carried the puck up and hit Watts with a pass right at the center line. From there, Watts did it on her own, weaving through the defense and putting the puck in the far side netting.
Wisconsin outshot the Beavers 24-2 in the first.
The second featured more back and forth play for much of the period before the Badgers lit the lamp two more times in the final three minutes. O’Brien continued her stellar day, this time ending up at the back post to tip in a perfect cross-ice pass from Chayla Edwards. Then, with :41 on the clock, O’Brien got a bit of a breakaway down the left side. She drew the defender, who laid out to try and block a shot, so O’Brien slid the puck back to Webster, who was trailing and beat Dowhy easily to make it 5-0 Wisconsin.
Dowhy made a total of 82 saves on the weekend.
Wisconsin advances to their 12th straight WCHA Final Faceoff and will play Ohio State on Saturday in Minneapolis.
