For the ninth time in 11 years, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team is heading to the NCAA Frozen Four as the No. 2 Badgers blanked Mercyhurst, 6-0, in the NCAA quarterfinals at a sold out LaBahn Arena in Madison.
Junior goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist, made 22 saves to earn her 21st shutout of the season, as Wisconsin (35-3-1) outshot the Lakers (19-11-5) 41-22 through the contest. Desbiens continues to lead the nation in goals-against average (0.71) and save percentage (.962).
Saturday’s win marked the 25th-straight win for the Badgers, as UW ends its home slate a perfect 21-0-0. Twelve of UW’s 21 home games were sellouts, a program record.
The Badgers got goals from Sam Cogan, Jenny Ryan, Sydney McKibbon, Emily Clark, Sarah Nurse and Baylee Wellhausen.
Wisconsin will meet Minnesota for the third-straight year in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals, squaring off March 18 at 6 p.m. in Durham, New Hampshire. It’s the sixth time this year the two teams have met with the Badgers holding a 3-2 advantage.