MADISON — The top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers extended their unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 5-2 win over St. Cloud State.
Wisconsin outshot the Huskies 49-16 and held them without a shot attempt for nearly the entire second frame in a dominant showing in front of a sold-out crowd at LaBahn Arena on Saturday afternoon.
“We’re really good at clogging the neutral zone. That was really key,” said Badgers defender Laney Potter of her team’s ability to keep St. Cloud without a shot attempt from for more than 18 minutes in the second.
The Badgers raced out to a quick start when Laney Potter scored just 46 seconds into the game, taking a pass from Cassie Hall as she crept into the slot and put home a one-timer.
St. Cloud State replied when Emma Gentry’s shot from distance was tipped up and over goalie Ava McNaughton by Allie Qualley to tie the game. Just 26 seconds later, the Badgers went the length of the ice on two passes and some quick skating by Casey O’Brien as Potter hit Simms at mid ice with a pass from below the goal line. Simms hit O’Brien in stride and the Badger captain shot across her body to the far top corner to restore Wisconsin’s lead just 3:06 into the game.
The teams settled into the game after the early chaos. The Badgers outshot SCSU 16-5, but despite several shots from within feet of the goal mouth, could not add to their lead as Sanni Ahola was up to the task in net for the Huskies.
“If you want to score, that’s the area (right in front of the net) you have to be willing to go there. (St. Cloud) are stingy in that space. If you get a lot of shots in that area, you’ve earned them. It’s not easy,” said Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson.
In the second, St. Cloud’s Breja Parent took a cross checking penalty and Dayle Ross was called for tripping just 25 seconds later to give Wisconsin a long 5-on-3 power play. Laila Edwards rang the post from her spot to Ahola’s right early on, but when she got a second chance with about 30 seconds to go in the first penalty, she did not miss to make it 3-1.
Cassie Hall put back a rebound just as the second penalty expired to extend the lead to 4-1. The two goals were a huge boost for the Badgers. Lacey Eden pointed out that a 5-on-3 situation is going to be a massive momentum swing, no matter what. Either the offense scores or the defense is hyped by the kill.
“That was a key moment in the game. Whether the power play is going well or not, those are the key moments where if the power play works for you it’s going to help you win games,” said Johnson.
Wisconsin closed out their scoring with about seven minutes to go in the third. With St. Cloud State on the power play and down three goals, they pulled their goalie for an extra skater. Lacey Eden scored what must be one of the longest goals on record as her clear from below the goal line bounced off the boards and went the length of the ice into the empty-net to make it 5-1 Badgers.
A high-sticking penalty on Ava Murphy with 21.1 seconds left in the 3rd gave the Huskies a player advantage to close out the game and Grace Wolfe quickly capitalized, putting one more on the board for St. Cloud before time expired.
Ahola finished the game with 45 saves for SCSU while Wisconsin’s McNaughton had 14.
