MADISON — The top-ranked Wisconsin women’s team survived their first tough test of the season, defeating (3) Minnesota Duluth in convincing fashion Saturday afternoon, skating away with a 5-1 win.
The Bulldogs came into Saturday’s game with three wins over top 10 opponents already, including a sweep of then top-ranked Ohio State. They’d also won three of the last four meetings at LaBahn Arena.
UMD is very good at clogging up the front of the net and getting in passing lanes and showed that to still be the case in the first period, intercepting Wisconsin passes and keeping the Badgers from moving the puck at will.
But the Badgers were prepared and their final four goals came as the result of a more fast-paced, rush-based offensive push that was in stark contrast to the puck possession game that has been their standard for much of Johnson’s tenure. Instead of settling in the zone and tiring the defense out with long stretches of possession, the Badgers looked for long outlet passes and odd-player rush situations.
After a Laila Edwards power play goal midway through the first period opened the scoring, sophomore Laney Potter doubled Wisconsin’s lead on one such rush that started with a breakaway by Kelly Gorbatenko. Potter used her long stride to skate past the defense to catch up to Gorbatenko and be open in front of the net for the pass. Taking the pass on the backhand, Potter moved the puck to her forehead and picked the far upper corner to make it 2-0 Badgers.
Potter led the Badgers on Saturday with two goals and an assist. The young defender had just four goals and 16 points in 41 games last season, but has six points through five games to start her second year.
Coach Mark Johnson said Potter is playing more confidently after spending time this summer at US National Team camp. Potter agreed that feeling more comfortable has helped her trust her speed, size and instincts, which was evident in her first goal.
Johnson was overall fairly happy with his team and liked that they were challenged as well as how they responded, though he hopes his squad will do a better job of protecting the puck in Sunday’s second game of the series.
His team was occasionally shaky on the blue line, including a series of bad decisions by Katie Kotlowski and Ava Murphy that led to UMD’s goal, which cut the lead to 2-1 at the time.
Midway through the second, some up and down the ice play meant Grace Sadura was just outside the Bulldogs’ offensive zone as Hannah Baskin picked up the puck deep in her own end and sent a long outlet pass for Sadura. Kotlowski read the pass, but did not get enough of her stick on it. The loose puck fell to Danielle Burgen. UW’s Ava Murphy also missed the clear and that put Burgen and Sadura in alone on net. Burgen fed Sadura to make it a 2-1 game.
Wisconsin responded quickly with another rush as KK Harvey carried the puck from her own end up the right side and threaded a pass through the slot to Cassie Hall who was at the back post to tap it in and make it 3-1.
Potter’s second came on what was initially an unsuccessful rush from Marianne Picard and Sarah Wozniewicz. Eve Gascon made the initial save, but the puck sat in the crease and Potter, who was trailing the play, used her long reach to push the puck in net past UMD defender Nina Jobst-Smith.
In the waning seconds of the game, Wisconsin made one last push as Potter intercepted a the puck in front of her own net. Gorbatenko picked it up and started down the ice, laying the puck off to Casey O’Brien, who drew the defender wide, leaving Gorbatenko open for the pass and easy redirect into the net to secure the 5-1 win.
Minnesota Duluth out-shot the Badgers 34-29 for the game. Gascon made 18 saves while UW’s Ava McNaughton had 31, including 17 in the third period.
The teams return to the ice at 2 pm central time Sunday. The game will be streamed on BTN+.
