Wisconsin women's hockey ties scoring record n NCAA win over Long Island
A couple of days before its NCAA Tournament regional semifinal, Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson called the visit to New York state a business trip.
Thursday, the Badgers women’s hockey team showed that business was good.
Facing a first-time qualifier, UW tied a postseason record for goals in a game in its 9-1 victory over Long Island University at Class of 1965 Arena on the campus of Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
A mark of the performance was balance. Eight players scored a goal and 10 scored a point for Wisconsin, which outshot Long Island, 59-7, and tied a scoring mark it last reached in 2011.
“It shows the depth we have this team,” senior Jesse Compher said. “We’re playing our best hockey right now and this is the time we want to be playing our best hockey, so it’s nice to see everyone get on the scoresheet like that. Hopefully we can keep rolling.”
BOX SCORE:Wisconsin 9, Long Island 1
The victory raised the Badgers record to 26-10-2 and earned them a date with Colgate, the No. 3 seed for the tournament, in the regional final at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The game Thursday marked what is believed to be the first time Johnson coached against one of his former players. Kelly Nash, who played for UW from 2007-11, is the Sharks’ first-year head coach.
The contest was decided in the first period when UW scored three times and outshot the Sharks, 21-2. Freshman Caroline Harvey, senior Britta Curl and freshman Kirsten Simms scored during the final 7 minutes of the period.
The Badgers, however, controlled the puck for most of the period. Only a handful of sharp saves for Long Island goalie Tindra Holm prevented the lead from being larger.
“We talked about getting off to a fast start and we talked about getting the puck into the offensive zone and trying to create opportunities,” Johnson said. “The goaltender, she played very well. … The big thing is to not get frustrated. I didn’t sense any of that.”
Curl and senior Jesse Compher posted four-point nights. Compher, who assisted the Badgers’ first two goals, also netted two goals for her first four-point game of the season. Curl had one goal and one assist in the first period and posted one goal and three assists for her first four-point effort since a five-point night against Bemidji State Dec. 2.
The two helped set the tone. Compher recorded two assists in the first period; Curl had one goal and one assist.
“For a lot of them it was their first NCAA game and you don’t know how they’re going to act, so you look to your leadership, you look to your veterans, players who have been on this stage before whether it’s with us or Team USA or Team Canada,” Johnson said. “Those kids are going to be probably mentally a little more comfortable than maybe some of my freshmen for the first time playing in a NCAA game. It was nice to see that leadership.”
Harvey finished with three points (one goals, two assists). Six other players had multi-point games: junior Casey O’Brien (one goal, one assist), senior Sophie Shirley (two assists), junior Maddi Wheeler (one goal, one assist), junior Lacey Eden (two assists) and freshmen Vivian Jungels and Kirsten Simms, who each finished with one goal and one assist.
It was the kind of night when a player could leave the locker room happy to get the win and pleased with her play.
“Every girl in that locker room had a big smile on their face,” Compher said. “We know what we’re playing for Saturday and we’re ready to go.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin women's hockey ties goals mark in NCAA win over Long Island
