Wisconsin was the NCAA's top team for the opening months of the season, but since have been fighting their way back, including a massive third period comeback this weekend.
Wisconsin was the NCAA's top team for the opening months of the season, but since have been fighting their way back, including a massive third period comeback this weekend.
Wisconsin spent much of the first half of the NCAA women's hockey season as the top ranked team in the nation. After a few key losses however, they've yet to make it back to the top.
Facing #7 Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin looked like they were destined to drop again after falling behind 4-1 heading into the third, but Wisconsin showed there is no quit in their team.
“I give the players a lot of credit, we were down 4-1. You get the next goal, you can change the momentum and we did a nice job of that," said head coach Mark Johnson. "Ava (McNaughton) made some real nice saves on the power play and kept the game within reach. The momentum shifted and we capitalized, and it was a good way to win.”
When it came time to turn the tides, it was Lacey Eden who scored twice for Wisconsin to get her team back int the game.
“We came in, he kind of calmed us down a little bit. They had been playing a super physical game and just giving it to us, and our main goal was to sort of step up and give it back to them," said Eden. "We’re a team that runs off of momentum and once we got a good bounce, it just kept coming.”
After Eden scored the tying goal midway through the period, Kirsten Simms scored the game winner with 1:31 remaining, with Laila Edwards and Anna Wilgren assisting.
“It just shows you how close of a group we have," said Simms. "When we came together between the second and the third, we knew coming out there that we weren’t going to take losing for an answer. That’s exactly what we did, we came out there from the start and gave a push. We battled through some penalties and then sealed it out with our game and finished that one out.”
Wisconsin will look to keep that momentum heading toward the WCHA playoffs. Next weekend, their season continues facing #10 St. Cloud State.
“This just shows the push that we’re going to have at the end of the season, especially as we get into these bigger games," said Simms. "It shows the depth we have and the passion that we have in these games, and that we’re going to throw whatever at these teams and not take no for an answer.”