The Lindenwood Lions women’s ice hockey team hosted the University of Wisconsin Badgers in a two-game series at the Centene Community Ice Center on Sept. 29. The Lions lost the Sept. 28 game with a score of 6-0 against the Badgers.
In the first 90 seconds, the Lions won the opening faceoff but were unable to get on a hot start as they stayed in their own defensive zone. Lindenwood tried to play the puck out of their defensive zone, but the Badgers were one step ahead. The Lions had a chance to make the game 1-0 but the puck was blocked by a Wisconsin defenseman.
Later on in the opening period, the Lions struggled to get a shot on goal. On the other side of the ice, the Badgers capitalized on the play as they managed to get on the board, as Wisconsin defenseman Caroline Harvey made the game 1-0. A few minutes later, they scored again, as forward Cassie Hall scored the second Badgers goal.
“Don’t worry about the scoreboard,” Lindenwood women’s head coach Taylor Wasylk said. “Kinda worry about what we can control and play our game.”
Throughout the opening period, Lindenwood continued to play in their defensive zone while the Badgers put a lot of pressure on the Lions, but forward Sarah Davies managed to get a shot on goal but the puck was caught by Wisconsin goaltender Ava McNaughton. While the Lions struggled to find their game, the Badgers scored again making the game 3-0, which was the score heading into the second period.
To start the next period, the Lions began on the penalty kill as Lindenwood drew a penalty in the last seconds of the first period. However, the penalty kill didn’t last long as the Badgers capitalized and scored a power-play goal, scored by forward, Lacey Eden.
“We had a little bit too much confidence,” Wasylk said. “We were a little surprised of how aggressive they were.”
A few minutes later in the second period, Wisconsin defenseman Sophie Helgeson scored the fifth Badgers goal. Shortly after, they scored their sixth and seventh goals, by forwards Lacey Eden and Cassie Hall who each got their second goal of the game. Near the middle of the second period, goaltender Emily Finach was relieved in net by Natalie Ferenc.
“Be mindful of their mental state,” Wasylk said. “We didn’t want either one of them to take too many shots.”
As the Lions continued to struggle throughout the game, they were able to get a decent amount of shots on the Wisconsin goaltender, however, the Badgers continued to dominate the Lions and got their eighth goal of the game, scored by forward Kelly Gorbatenko. Near the eight-
minute mark of the second period, the Lions managed to get on the board with a goal by forward Sarah Davies, to make the score 8-1.
The Badgers quickly regained their eight-goal lead, as their ninth goal was scored by defenseman Sophie Helgeson. The goal was Helgeson’s second of the game, making the score 9-1 going into the final period.
To start the third period, the Badgers scored their tenth goal of the game right out of the gate. The Badgers again scored their eleventh goal of the game later in the period, as the Lions trailed 11-1 with eight minutes left in the game.
Badgers forward Lacey Eden completed her hat-trick as she scored the twelfth Wisconsin goal of the game. Shortly after Lacey Eden’s hat trick, Wisconsin forward Cassie Hall completed her own hat trick to make the game 13-1. The Badgers didn’t stop there, as they went on to score two more goals to make the game 15-1, but the final nail in the coffin for the Lions came when the Badgers scored their sixteenth goal of the game.
“It is what it is. You live and you learn,” Wasylk said. “It showed us what we need to tidy up going forward.”
Lindenwood lost 16-1 and dropped the two-game series against the University of Wisconsin. The Lions start their first road trip of the season as they take on the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. on Oct. 6 at 6 p.m.
