UMD women's hockey: Badgers bounce back to split series with Bulldogs

MADISON, Wis. — After scoring its first win over the Badgers in Madison in over a decade Friday , Minnesota Duluth was in a position to secure its first sweep at Wisconsin since the 2007-08 season on Saturday.

Fourth-ranked Wisconsin rebounded, however, beating the No. 5 Bulldogs 5-1 on Saturday in WCHA play at LaBahn Arena on the UW campus to split the weekend series and win the regular-season series 3-1.

Badgers fifth-year senior forward Daryl Watts registered her second hat trick of the season . She gave Wisconsin a 1-0 lead on the power play 12:46 into the first period and a 3-0 lead 62 seconds into the second period. She finished her hat trick on a shorthanded breakaway 12:24 into the second period.

"Unfortunately we allowed them to get in behind us a few times. The shorthanded breakaway was a tough one," Bulldogs coach Maura Crowell said. "After they scored those first two goals in the second, I like the way our team battled. At no point did we lay down and give it to them."

UMD only trailed 1-0 after the first period, but gave up two goals in the opening 62 seconds of the second. Sophomore forward Makenna Webster scored 36 seconds in, followed by Watts.

Senior forward Caitlin Schneider also scored for the Badgers in the third period while senior goaltender Kennedy Blair made 26 saves.

Senior defenseman Kailee Skinner ended Blair’s shutout attempt 3:46 into the third period, scoring her second goal of the season by poking in a rebound that came off the stick of junior center Mannon McMahon.

"I was happy to see us get that goal in the third to make it 4-1 and the next shift, or a couple after, when Gabbie (Hughes') line was out there, I thought we might make it 4-2," Crowell said. "Then, 'Hey, we're right in this,' but unfortunately that fifth one went in at the end of a (penalty) kill there and that kind of sealed it. Tough day for us, but overall, a good weekend for us. We can tighten up some of the things that got exposed today and get better."

Sophomore goaltender Jojo Chobak made 24 saves for the Bulldogs one night after stopping a career-high 45 to shut out Wisconsin 3-0.

The Bulldogs — whose last weekend sweep of Wisconsin came Oct. 13-14, 2012, in Duluth — beat the Badgers in Madison on Friday for the first time since Nov. 28, 2010, snapping an 18-game winless streak (0-16-2).

Just like Friday’s game, UMD was without senior defenseman Maggie Flaherty, who was injured Tuesday in the win at St. Cloud State.

The Bulldogs now play four of their final five regular season games at home, starting with St. Thomas at 6:07 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, and 3:07 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 at Amsoil Arena.