Having gone 0-12 on the power play over the past two weeks and scoring just four extra-attacker goals in their first eight games, special teams were a particular point of emphasis for Brad Frost and his No. 3 Minnesota Gophers heading into this weekend’s Border Battle matchup with rival No. 1 Wisconsin.
The work paid off as a power-play goal by Emily Brown midway through the third period proved to be the game-winner and only goal scored in a close game in front of a sold-out LaBahn Arena crowd in Madison.
“We knew special teams would be going to be big coming in to the weekend. Quite frankly our special teams have been well below par. We knew we had the skill to make some plays, we just hadn’t been,” said Minnesota coach Brad Frost.
The 1-0 loss was the first of the year for Wisconsin, and it ended a 35-game home unbeaten streak for the Badgers. The Badgers’ last loss was Dec. 3, 2016, a 2-0 loss to these very Gophers.
The power play came midway through the third period when it appeared an awkward shift change put pressure in the Badgers defensive end. Annie Pankowski was called for tripping behind the net, and Brown was able to put a shot on from the point that made its way through traffic and found the back of the net.
As expected when these rivals play, it was as close as a hockey game can be. Something as simple as a slow line change can turn the game around.
“It’s the little things that lead to ultimately being some bigger things. The margin of error is just so slim between our teams almost always, but in particular tonight,” said Frost.
Despite the loss, Badgers captain Pankowski liked what she saw from her team, both in the lead up to the weekend and how they responded on the ice on Saturday.
“It sucks to be in the box and let your team down like that, but I think how we responded was really impressive,” said Pankowski. “It’s always going to come down to one or two errors, one or two bounces that go your way. I honestly am proud of the way we played that third period. We started to look like ourselves.”
Neither team could find much prolonged puck possession in the game, as the pace was frenetic up and down the ice. Both teams found it difficult to set up in the zone or complete more than a few passes in a row.
The Badgers outshot the Gophers, 27-23, thanks to a late flurry from Wisconsin as they pulled Campbell with 1:42 to go in the game and then had a six-on-four chance with 31 seconds left to go as Amy Potomak was called for delay of game.
Both teams were without a top line forward, as Minnesota’s Sarah Potomak was a scratch with a lower body injury and Wisconsin is still without Emily Clark, who suffered an ankle sprain against Minnesota Duluth two weeks ago.
It was a physical game, and both squads found it difficult to gain any ground in front of the net. Wisconsin tallied eight blocks in the second period, while Minnesota’s Olivia Knowles led the team with three blocks.
In a game as tight as this one, opportunities are at a premium, and Badgers coach Mark Johnson pointed out there were almost no second- or third-chance shots on net until the final 1:42 when the Badgers pulled Kristen Campbell from net.
“Any good team is going to try to keep the puck to the outside and make them play on the perimeter,” said Pankowski. “It’s to be expected. If you’re going to take the puck to the dirty areas, that’s where you get rewarded. That’s why it’s the hardest to get in there.
It can be frustrating, but it’s also exactly what these two teams expect when they play each other. Johnson noted it was the fastest game his team had played this season in terms of pace of play. He knew the Gophers would be bringing their best, not only because of the rivalry, but coming off a close loss to Ohio State last weekend.
Pankowski doesn’t expect tomorrow’s game to look any different. Neither team wants to give the other an inch, and as two of the top-ranked teams in the nation, the Gophers and Badgers are fighting each other for position in the long run, as well.
The two teams hit the ice again Sunday at 2 p.m. for the series finale in Madison.
