Badger coach Mark Johnson
To say the Minnesota Gophers have had Wisconsin’s number over the last few years would be an understatement. Over the last three seasons, the Lady Gophers are 12-1-1 against the Badgers, including a 12-game unbeaten streak and 5-straight Minnesota victories in Madison.
During that stretch, the Gophers appeared in three straight NCAA title games, winning two of them. The Gophers knocked off the Badgers in the championship game in 2012 and in the Frozen Four semifinals last season.
During the last three seasons, Minnesota has accumulated a 113-7-3 overall record.
Prior to that three-year stretch, it was the Badgers that dominated play, going 21-5-5 against Minnesota during a six-year period, including a 6-0 record in WCHA playoff and NCAA tournament games.
The Badgers (6-0, 4-0 WCHA) will try to turn the numbers back in their favor, starting tonight. They’ll host the Gophers (3-0-1, 1-0-1) in a
tw0-game weekend series at LaBahn Arena.
The Badgers moved past the Gophers into the top spot in this week’s USCHO.com poll, led by sophomore goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (4-0, 0.75 GAA).
Minnesota will be without its top player, Amanda Kessel. The senior who played on the U.S. Olympic hockey team last season, will miss this year with concussion related issues.
The Badgers have had chances to win many of the previous 14-games, but the Gophers have come up with big third periods to pull out victories. The Badgers will be trying to turn their fortunes around.
The series comes early in the season and there’s a lot of hockey to play, but the Badgers feel there’s no time like the present.
AUDIO: Mark Johnson says the Gophers have had their numbers :16
AUDIO: Mark Johnson on losing to Gophers in last year’s Frozen Four :13
AUDIO: Mark Johnson says they’ll be ready for the Gophers :13