No. 2 Gophers Fall to No. 8/9 Wisconsin, 5-2

[Arlan Marttila]

No. 2 Gophers Fall to No. 8/9 Wisconsin, 5-2
Provided by the University of Minnesota

The No. 2 University of Minnesota women’s hockey team fell for the second-straight game when the Golden Gophers lost to No. 8/9 Wisconsin, 5-2, today in Madison, Wis.

The Badgers took a 3-2 lead in the first period and added one in the second and another in the third for the win. Wisconsin scored first when Mallory Deluce netted a goal at 8:46 in the first period. Brooke Ammerman walked from the faceoff dot and walked in toward the goal and back through the slot. She fanned on her shot, but Deluce was there to bang in the rebound. Sarah Erickson scored her 10th goal of the season when she netted a power-play goal at 12:15 to put the game at 1-1. Erickson one-timed the puck when she was left alone in front with Megan Bozek and Kelly Seeler assisting on the play. Bozek made a great feed to Erickson at the bottom of the faceoff circle for the goal. In nine games this season, Erickson has already tied her goal production from her freshman year.

Kelli Blankenship put the game at 2-1 when she batted in a rebound attempt at 14:14 in the first. UW goalie Becca Ruegsegger stopped Brittany Francis’ shot, but couldn’t contain the follow up from Blankenship for her second goal of the season. Seeler added the second assist. However, Wisconsin retaliated with two goals in the first to put up a 3-2 lead. Ammerman scored a power-play goal at 16:45, while Kelly Nash added an unassisted goal at 19:29 when the puck went off a Minnesota skate and in the back of the net.

Wisconsin added to its lead when Ammerman scored at 8:52 in the second to put the Badgers at 4-2 after two periods. Malee Windmeier added a three-goal lead at 10:26 in the third for a 5-2 win.

It is the first time the Gophers were swept in a weekend series this season. The last time the Gophers had been swept in a series dates back to the Minnesota Duluth series (Feb. 17-18) in 2007 in Duluth, Minn.

Minnesota will take a week off from competition next week and resume action on Nov. 13-14 as the Gophers travel to Minnesota State and All Seasons Arena.