Now we have that streak behind us and we know that we can beat any team now.
Advertisement
The series marked the first time the Gophers have been swept since dropping a series on the road at Minnesota Duluth, falling 3-2 and 4-2, during the 2010-11 season (Oct. 29-30, 2010).
Johnson, who has seen multiple matchups with Minnesota both as a player and a coach, said to beat a team like Minnesota, one of the keys would be to use all of his team’s opportunities to its advantage.
The teams both started Friday’s game slow, until Gophers senior forward Brook Garzone scored 3:42 into the second period.
But UW lead was gone nearly in an instant, as senior defenseman Milica McMillen knotted the score at 2-2 just over two minutes later.
Neither team was able to take the lead in the third, sending the game to overtime.
Pankowski had a remarkable few nights of game play, scoring the game-winning goal Friday night during overtime, along with opening up Saturday’s game with two goals.
The Badgers would answer less than five minutes later, when Cogan grabbed a rebound let up by Minnesota netminder Amanda Leveille, flipping the puck up and over Leveille to knot the game at 1-1. And Minnesota’s penalty kill held Wisconsin to just 1-3 on power-play attempts despite the loss.
“I think it was our biggest challenge so far this season and I think we just made sure we did the little things right like we have all season long”. “I think we just started to play our game again”.
The triumph in front of 2,273 fans at a loud LaBahn Arena snapped an 18-game winless drought for the Badgers (17-0-0, 11-0-0-0 WCHA) against Minnesota (15-2-0, 11-2-0-0 WCHA). The Badgers’ Ryan Christensen went 1-2 on Saturday to take eighth at 184.
She then showed why she’s the reigning National Rookie of the Year and a prime candidate for the US Olympic team in Pyeongchang when she put the Badgers 2-0 with a perfectly placed wrister.
Potomak cut the deficit to one at 2-1 with a goal assisted by linemates Dani Cameranesi and Hannah Brandt midway through the third period, and the Gophers outshot the Badgers, 8-6, over the final 20 minutes. Sarah Nurse added an empty net goal in the closing seconds.
Advertisement
Top-ranked Wisconsin now has a flawless 18-0 record.
