MADISON, Wis. – Saturday afternoon’s meeting between No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 4 Ohio State was one of the most anticipated match-ups of the early women’s hockey season. The teams were two of just three undefeated squads left in the country. No other ranked teams were playing each other this week.
In front of a sell-out crowd at LaBahn Arena, the Badgers extended their home unbeaten streak to 19 games with a decisive 7-0 win to solidify their spot at the top of the WCHA.
Wisconsin dominated the Buckeyes in the opening period, outshooting Ohio State 20-1 and rarely letting the visitors out of their defensive zone.
Badger coach Mark Johnson put an emphasis on starting strong and his team took it to heart.
“Things that you’re looking for and that you’re trying to sell your players, they bought into it and the big thing is they were able to execute it today,” he said.
It was not the game Ohio State coach Nadine Muzerall wanted to see from her team, who entered the game 7-0-1. The Buckeyes had faced some early tests in the season and come through unbeaten and Muzerall said she wasn’t actually sure what went wrong on Saturday.
“We didn’t compete at all. We came out and I think we played intimidated and scared. I don’t know if it was because of the size of the crowd or because it’s Wisconsin. You want to respect your opponent but at the same time recognize that we’re a good team, too and we were number four in the country. I think that we played a little bit too intimidated and dug ourselves a hole we couldn’t get out of, ” she said.
Saturday’s win was the most complete game the Badgers have put together all season. Captain Baylee Wellhausen credits the team’s mentality for the decisive victory.
“I think we’re playing really smart. Coach has been saying ‘working hard, but working smart’ and I think that’s something we’ve been doing really well, especially on the forecheck. We’re being patient,” she said.
Wellhausen had no points for the Badgers through their first 10 games, but she seems to have found her stride as she’s scored three goals in as many games, including the overtime winner against Minnesota last Sunday and the opening goal for the Badgers against Ohio State.
Wisconsin put pressure on Ohio State early, forcing them spend a lot of time in their own zone. They tallied 9 shots on goal before the Buckeyes were able to muster one nearly halfway through the first period (10:40).
Abby Roque had the puck in the neutral zone as the Badgers started to counter and Wellhausen was unmarked on the nearside as the team broke out. Roque fed her early and Wellhausen took it in alone, beating Ohio State goalie Kassidy Sauve glove side and top shelf.
Most of Wisconsin’s goals were placed top shelf, but Wellhausen said that wasn’t a product of a scouting report. The Badgers were able to control possession and cycle the puck. That created space and allowed the players to pick their spots.
“We came out fast. We were all over them right away getting those shots off and it was nice to be able to score a goal right off the bat. We knew that would kind of just shut them down and we’d get in their face and they wouldn’t be able to play the game that they’re used to,” she said.
Presley Norby doubled the Badger lead three-and-a-half minutes later with a wrister over Sauve’s right shoulder. Norby picked up the puck after a faceoff and circled around the top of the zone. No Buckeyes pressured her and she found plenty of space in between the circles and took the puck in to beat Sauve.
Abby Roque made it 3-0 Wisconsin on a 5-on-3 power play goal just past midway in the first frame. Ohio State packed the front of the net, giving Wisconsin room to move the puck. Roque moved it in and was able to pick her spot for her fifth goal of the year.
Alexis Mauerman added to the Badger lead just 1:31 into the third period on a play almost directly copied from Wellhausen. She carried the puck into the zone on Sauve’s right side and sniped a shot over her shoulder on a close angle.
Maddie Rowe made it 5-0 two minutes later when she was able to follow up her own shot and swat the resulting rebound past Sauve.
Sam Cogan lit the lamp on a power play late in the third period. Her shot from the far faceoff dot went through traffic and deflected into the net to make it 6-0. Mauremann got her second of the game with less than five minutes to play to close the scoring and give Wisconsin the 7-0 win.
Despite not being the outing she’d hoped from for her team, Muzerall knows it’s a long hockey season and one loss shouldn’t define her team’s season.
“You get three more shots at Wisconsin and tomorrow’s one of them. Hopefully we take it on the chin and learn from it.”
