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Badger women’s hockey opens NCAA quarterfinals today

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Wisconsin Coach Mark Johnson

Wisconsin Coach Mark Johnson

The Wisconsin Badger women’s hockey team is three wins away from its fifth NCAA National title.  The fourth-seeded Badgers open the NCAA Tournament today at 2:00 p.m. against Boston University at LaBahn Arena.

The Terriers average almost four goals a game, led by National Player of the Year finalist Marie-Philip Poulin, who has 27 goals and 54 points.

It was Poulin, who scored the game winning goal against Mark Johnson’s United States team in the Olympic Gold Medal game in 2010 and scored two more goals in Canada’s Gold Medal victory over the U.S. last year.

Fresh off winning the WCHA Playoff title, Wisconsin is 28-6-4 and leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just over one goal per game.

 

Wisconsin’s Johnson earns 350th coaching victory

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Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson

The 4th-ranked Wisconsin Badger women’s hockey team earned its 10th shutout of the season, blanking 7th-ranked Clarkson 4-0 at LaBahn Arena in Madison on Sunday.

The Badgers’ win gave UW head coach Mark Johnson his 350th career victory, making him only the fourth coach in NCAA Division 1 history to earn 350 victories on the bench.

Ann-Renee Desbiens stopped all 24 of Clarkson’s (18-5-3) shots.  Desbiens earned her eighth shutout of the season, which is tied for second in the nation.

Wisconsin’s (19-4-3) freshman Annie Pankowski recorded her second career hat trick for the Badgers.

The Badgers continue to be sharp on the penalty kill, holding Clarkson down on all four of their opportunities.  Wisconsin ranks No. 1 in the nation in penalty killing and has killed its past 40 penalties, a streak that began on Oct. 25th, 2014 against Bemidji State.

Wisconsin returns to WCHA action this Friday and Saturday when the Badgers travel to Mankato, Minnesota, to take on Minnesota State.  It’s one of four remaining series in the WCHA this season.

Top ranked Badger women hope to turn tables on Gophers (AUDIO)

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Badger coach Mark Johnson

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. [Read more…]

Former “Miracle on Ice” star, Bob Suter passed away at age 57

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Bob Suter was part of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team.

Bob Suter was part of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team.

Former UW defenseman and Miracle on Ice star Bob Suter died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack.  He was 57.

“We are all stunned,” UW women’s hockey coach Mark Johnson, who played with Suter on UW’s 1977 NCAA championship team and on the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, said in a statement released by UW.  “Everybody is shocked.

Wisconsin men’s coach Mike Eaves also teamed with Suter and Johnson to lead the Badgers to the ’77 NCAA title in Detroit.

“This is a heartbreaking day,” Eaves said in the release.  “Bob was the ultimate teammate.  He could skate like the wind and was as hard of a competitor that I ever knew.

Suter suffered the heart attack at Capitol Ice Arena in Middleton, using the facility for his work with the Madison Capitols youth program.

Suter went to Madison East High School.  He is the father of Ryan Suter, who played at UW in 2003-04 and last season completed his ninth season in the National Hockey League.

“I was extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Bob Suter,” UW athletic director Barry Alvarez said in the UW release.  “The Suter name is synonymous with Badger hockey.

Johnson to coach CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects game

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Wisconsin women’s head hockey coach Mark Johnson will join Philadelphia Flyers

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson

assistant Joe Mullen as head coaches for the second annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game Sept. 26 in Pittsburgh, PA.

The event, which will feature 40 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft, will be held at CONSOL Energy Center, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Johnson has established Wisconsin’s rank among the elite in college women’s hockey.  Under his direction, Wisconsin has compiled four NCAA titles, four WCHA playoff titles and four WCHA regular-season crowns.  Johnson and the Badgers were the first team ever to land in the NCAA championship game in four consecutive seasons, winning the title three times (2006, 2007, 2009).  He leads all active D-1 women’s college-hockey coaches with a winning percentage of .819, with an impressive record of 302-56-28.

 

UW Athletic Board approves coaching contracts

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The UW Athletic Board met Friday afternoon and approved the recommendations of the UW Department of Athletics regarding contracts for

Mike Eaves

Mike Eaves

winter/spring sports head coaches.

There were some that thought Mike Eaves job security was at bit iffy after a slow start this past season.  But a fantastic second half finish and trip to the NCAA Tournament wiped away any speculation about Eaves future in Madison.  The UW Athletic Board extended his five-year contract through June 30, 2018.  Women’s hockey coach Mark Johnson also had his 5-year deal extended through that same date.

Men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan and women’s coach Bobbie Kelsey had their 5-year deals extended through May 31st, 2018.  Wrestling Coach Barry Davis had his three-year contract extended through May 31, 2016.  Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach Whitney Hite’s one-year contract was renewed through June 14, 2014.

Badgers to honor the late Bob Johnson tonight

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University of Wisconsin officials will dedicate the Kohl Center ice sheet to

Bob Johnson on the Bench

former legendary coach Bob Johnson tonight.  Johnson led the Badgers to three national titles (1973, ’77 and ’81) during his career.

Wisconsin women’s coach Mark Johnson (Bob’s son) will be on hand for the dedication.

AUDIO: Mark Johnson on the dedication of the Kohl Center ice tonight :19

Several members of the Johnson family will be on hand, as well as several former players that played under Johnson at the UW.

AUDIO: Mark Johnson says it’ll be an emotional night :26

The Badgers (1-2-1, 1-0-1 WCHA) will face Colorado College (3-3-0, 0-0-0) this weekend. 

It’s the 182nd and 183rd meetings in the long history of this series.  Wisconsin’s 108 victories over CC is the most over any of its opponents.  Wisconsin will be trying to break a 4-game losing streak to CC.

Badger women’s hockey sweeps Lindenwood

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After a 7-2 victory on Friday night, Mark Johnson’s Wisconsin women’s

Mark Johnson

hockey team dominated Lindenwood, 9-1 on Saturday afternoon. 

Alev Kelter recorded a hat trick and a 4-point game, while Brianna Decker’s 1 goal and 2 assists allowed her to become the fifth Badger in program history to record 200 career points.

The Badgers (3-0-1) went scoreless on the power play (0 for 3).  They killed off 4 of 5 penalties against.

Wisconsin completes its three-week road stretch next weekend against Minnesota-Duluth on Oct. 13-14.

 

Badger women’s hockey schedule is out

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The Wisconsin women’s hockey team will host 16 games at newly constructed

Coach Mark Johnson

La Bahn Arena for the upcoming season, starting with the home opener set for Oct. 19.

The Badgers women open the 2012-13 season with a trip to conference rival Minnesota State on Sept. 28-29.

The Badgers will play their first six games on the road with trips to St. Louis to face Lindenwood for a pair of games before heading to Duluth to face Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 13-14.

The Badgers finally return hom to play their first game in La Bahn Arena on Oct. 19 against Bemidji State.  The second date of that series will be Sunday, Oct. 21st.

The final home series of the year sees Minnesota Duluth visiting Madison, Feb. 16-17.  The Badgers then travel to Bemidji State to close out the regular season.

The first round of the 2013 WCHA Playoffs will be held March 1-3, in the similar best-of-three format with the higher seed hosting.

The 2013 Women’s Frozen Four will be held on March 22 & 24 at Ridder Arena at the University of Minnesota.

Badgers to face Gophers for the top prize in Women’s College Hockey

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Wisconsin advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four Championship Game be knocking off Boston College 6-2.

Coach Mark Johnson

Wisconsin (33-4-2) fell behind in the first minute of the game 1-0, then scored five unanswered goals.  Senior Hilary Knight had two goals to lead the Badgers, including the game winner.  The Badgers scored twice in the first and three more times in the second period to put the game away.

Mark Johnson’s Badgers will face Minnesota in Sunday’s 3pm championship game at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota.  The Lady Gophers advanced with a 3-1 semifinal win over Cornell on Friday night.