Kirsten Simms scores twice, Wisconsin women's hockey shuts out Minnesota to clinch second-place in WCHA
MADISON – Mark Johnson walked into the locker room during the first intermission Saturday and challenged his team to raise its play.
Wisconsin did that and more.
The Badgers women’s hockey team defeated Minnesota, 4-0, in front of a sellout crowd of 2,273 at La Bahn Arena to extend its winning streak to 15 games heading into to a season-ending series with No. 1 Ohio State on Friday and Saturday at home.
Second-ranked Wisconsin (28-4, 22-4 WCHA, 65 points) handed the fifth-ranked Gophers (24-7-1l, 18-7-1, 57) their second shutout of the season, scored its first sweep of its rival in three years and completed a five-point weekend that sealed a second-place finish in the conference.
BOX SCORE: No. 2 Wisconsin 4, No. 5 Minnesota
Sophomore Kirsten Simms scored the Badgers’ first two goals and added a power play assist to become the first player in the nation with 60 points. Junior Lacey Eden and senior Maddi Wheeler added goals in the final period to give the Badgers their largest margin of victory over Minnesota since January 2021.
The Gophers entered the series with an eight-game winning streak.
“It was a good weekend. I’m real proud,” Johnson said. “They’re a good team and they came in very hot. We were going to get tested and we weathered it and came away with the win last night in overtime, then a real solid effort today.”
Minnesota was held to a season-low 17 shots, an effort Wisconsin spearheaded with 22 blocks, four more than UW’s previous season high.
Twelve players had at least one block. Sophomore Caroline Harvey had a team-high four.
The work done in front freshman goaltender Ava McNaughton made her job easier.
“Obviously, they’re top-five in the nation at least and to be able to get a shutout against that team is just a great confidence boost for me,” she said. “That is my second time playing them and we’ll probably face-off against them a couple of more times before the end of the season. Seventeen shots and a shutout is ideal against one of those teams. You go into that game expecting upwards of 30 shots.”
McNaugton recorded her fourth shutout of the season and got her second win over the Gophers.
“Ava, though she didn’t get tested a ton, she looked composed. She looked comfortable,” Johnson said. “For a young freshman, it’s a good weekend.”
The tone for the afternoon was set in the first period when UW’s penalty kill escaped unscathed even though the Gophers rarely left their offensive zone.
The Badgers’ offense began to build momentum late in the first period, though it wasn’t rewarded for its work until the second.
Simms’ first goal came at the 2-minute 27-second mark off assists from seniors Chayla Edwards and Casey O’Brien. Simms’ second score came about 4 minutes later. O’Brien and sophomore Vivian Jungels got the assists.
Given the teams played to overtime Friday night and had a quick turnaround for Game 2 Saturday afternoon, Johnson felt playing with the lead was especially beneficial during the final half of the game Saturday.
“The team that is usually leading, if you’re leading by two or three goals, it’s easier for you to play than the team that is trying to play uphill,” he said.
Eden’s and Wheeler’s goals came during the final four minutes and punctuated a very complete victory.
Next up is another major challenge: No. 1 Ohio State. The games start at 7 p.m. Friday and continue at 8 p.m. Saturday at La Bahn.
"I think this is huge for us,” Simms said. “It just shows a momentum shift for us because it shows the depths of our team, especially against Ohio State next week, and what we can bring if we play our game."
More: Wisconsin hockey's Laila Edwards gains redemption in overtime thriller vs. Minnesota
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin women's hockey shuts out Minnesota, clinches second in WCHA
