No. 1 Wisconsin overpowers Huskies, 6-0, in season opener

Friday, September 23

St. Cloud, Minn.

6:07 p.m.

St. Cloud State

0-1-0, 0-1-0WCHA

Wisconsin

1-0-0, 1-0-0WCHA

Wisconsin

St. Cloud State

9/23/2016 8:47:00 PM | Women's Hockey

Box Score

St. Cloud State unable to take advantage of its opportunities against the Badgers

ST. CLOUD—The 2016-17 season came in like a lion (or in this case a Badger) for the St. Cloud State women's hockey team (0-1-0, 0-1-0 WCHA), as No. 1 Wisconsin flexed its muscle to dispatch the Huskies, 6-0, in their season opener.

The Badgers (1-0-0, 1-0-0) lived up to their preseason billing, controlling possession from start to finish to hand SCSU the loss. St. Cloud State was out-shot, 35-14, and out-attempted, 58-29. Wisconsin's offense was relentless, with four different players scoring in an 8:43 span between the 11:59 mark of the first period and 2:26 point of the second to stake UW to a four-goal lead before the game reached its midway point. UW tacked on goals later in the second and midway through the third to round out its scoring.

"You don't get a feel for the speed the elite teams have until you are out there," SCSU head coach Eric Rud said. "When you're playing a team with that kind of firepower, you have to do things a little quicker. We held onto the puck a little bit too much at times."

St. Cloud State adjusted well to the pace as the game went on, chipping away at Wisconsin's possession advantage a little more each period after being out-attempted, 27-5, in the opening frame. The Huskies generated a number of open looks on goal, but were unable to solve UW senior goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens—who stopped all 16 shots she faced to earn her ninth shutout in 13 career starts against SCSU.

Though St. Cloud State was unable to find the back of the net, Rud was pleased by the openings his team created in the Badgers' traditionally stingy defense.

"We had some point blank chances against one of the best defensive teams in college hockey," Rud said. "We did good things to get ourselves into those positions and the fact that we set ourselves up for those opportunities reminds us that we are moving in the right direction."

"We just have to start finding ways to convert those opportunities."

To counter high-caliber teams, especially those that monopolize the puck like Wisconsin does, taking advantage on special teams is vital. The Huskies were granted four power plays, but were unable to exploit them. St. Cloud State zone entries were frequently stymied by the Badgers' penalty kill, which nullified most of its time in the zone and resulted in just two shots on goal with the man advantage.

"We have to get better," Rud said of his power play. "We will re-attack it in terms of personnel and new ideas to try and do some different things."

Senior Madeleine Dahl got the start between the pipes and turned away 28 shots in the loss. It was her first collegiate start in more than two and a half years after battling back from injury and she impressed both teammates and coaches with her tenacious performance against the top-ranked team in the country.

"She was very competitive," Rud said. "It's a tough game when you give up six, but she never gave up."

Round two between St. Cloud State and Wisconsin is Saturday, September 24 at 3:07 p.m. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. SCSU students with a validated and current student ID card are admitted free to all home athletic events.