Ella Huber chases a Wisconsin player in a game last season. The Gophers are currently ranked No. 4 overall and will face the top-ranked Badgers at Ridder Arena this weekend. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOPHER ATHLETICS/ERIC MILLERGophers and Wisconsin to meet this weekend
by Bryan Zollman, Let’s Play Hockey
The Gophers lost and tied Ohio State over the weekend, and in doing so switched spots with the Buckeyes in the latest USA Hockey/The RinK Live poll. They will have a chance to climb back up the rankings if they can get a win against No. 1 Wisconsin when the Badgers come to Ridder Arena this weekend. The teams will meet Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Badgers have dominated their opponents thus far, outscoring them 46-6 in the team’s first six games (6-0-0). They are led by Casey O’Brien who has a nation-leading 17 points (5G, 12A). Nine different Badgers are averaging at least a point per game. They have outshot opponents 279-112 and are averaging 46.5 shots per game, allowing 18.6.
The Gophers will counter with their top forwards of Abbey Murphy and Ella Huber. Murphy has six goals in the team’s first six games (4-1-1). Huber had 18 goals and 24 assists a year ago and has a gaol and two assists so far this season. Josefin Bouveng has two goals and four assists and is averaging a point a game and Natalie Mlynkova has a goal and four assists. The Gophers have had 10 different scorers so far this season.
The Gophers are outshooting opponents 209-103 (34.8-17.2).
If the Gophers want to compete they will have to capitalize more on special teams. They have just two power play goals in 17 chances so far this season (11.8 percent), and have allowed three power play goals to opponents in 15 tries for a penalty kill percentage of 80 percent. Wisconsin has seven power play goals in 28 chances (25 percent) and has allowed just one power play goal in 13 tries (92.3 percent).
The Gophers have gone with a goaltending duo to start the season. Skylar Vetter has started four games and has a save percentage of .881. Hannah Clark has started two games, including Saturday against Ohio State and has a save percentage of .932. Ava McNaughton has started all six games for the Badgers and has a save percentage of .942.
Wisconsin won the season matchup last year with four wins in five games. The Gophers lone win came on Dec. 8 at Ridder Arena 5-3. Wisconsin won the next four.
LATEST RANKINGS
Wisconsin Named Unanimous No. 1 in Week Five of USA Hockey/The Rink Live Women’s College Hockey Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State, Clarkson, Minnesota, and Minnesota Duluth close out top five | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
USA Hockey/The Rink Live
Others Receiving Votes: Boston College, 3; Rochester Polytechnic Institute, 3; University of St. Thomas, 3; College of the Holy Cross, 2. Notes: ECAC Hockey has seven teams in the rankings, while the WCHA has five, Hockey East has three, and Atlantic Hockey America has two… Team records are listed as W-L-T. About the Poll: The 26th annual USA Hockey/The Rink Live Women’s College Hockey Poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. The poll includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the five NCAA women’s hockey conferences who are eligible for the NCAA Women’s National Collegiate Ice Hockey Championships, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey.
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