The Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team improved to 7-0-0 on the season with another dominant performance, this time shutting out #3 Minnesota.
Wisconsin rode a four-goal third period and an 18-save shutout by sophomore Ava McNaughton to a 5-0 victory over Minnesota.
“We were more strategic with our puck movement and our forecheck, and we capitalized on our chances,” said forward Laila Edwards.
“I think our defense was exceptional. Obviously, our defenders were solid and our forwards were sound in the D zone. We weren’t giving them anything and Ava (McNaughton) stood on her head,” she added.
Edwards, Cassie Hall, Finley McCarthy, Casey O’Brien, and Maggie Scannell scored for the Badgers.
Hall opened the scoring late in the first period with her sixth of the season. Hall took a feed from Laila Edwards that gave UW a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. UW outshot Minnesota 14-5 in the opening stanza, including a 11-2 advantage over the last 10:35.
Wisconsin dominated action in the second period, outshooting the Gophers 10-6 in the frame, but neither team was able to find the back of the net.
The Wisconsin offense erupted in the third period, scoring four goals in the first 10 minutes to chase Minnesota starting netminder Skyler Vetter.
McCarthy notched her first as a Badger three minutes into the final stanza to double the Badgers’ lead.
During 4-on-4 action minutes later, UW scored twice as O’Brien and Edwards lit the lamp 16 seconds apart lifting the Badgers to a 4-0 advantage.
Scannell joined the scoring party minutes later, scoring from behind the Minnesota net.
Ava McNaughton was stellar in net, stopping all 18 shots she faced to earn her second shutout of the year and her seventh win.
“It’s always a weekend that you look forward to and it’s nice to kind of stick it to them in their own house,” said McNaughton of beating Minnesota. “We had good play in front of me and it’s always nice to score five goals.”
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