Regardless of what happens this weekend, Wisconsin will finish atop the WCHA standings for the first time in the history of the program. However, the road to the summit has been far from easy for the Badgers, and Ohio State ranks among the teams to throw a scare into the Badgers along the way. Last month, the Buckeyes held a 3-1 lead early in the third period, only to see Wisconsin force overtime and then steal the win on a short-handed goal by WCHA Player of the Year candidate Sara Bauer. Wisconsin does not have fond memories of its last trip to Columbus either as Ohio State tripped the Badgers in the back end of the October 2004 series. The Buckeyes promise to be desperate with home ice in the first-ever set of WCHA Quarterfinals Series still within reach. Wisconsin is comfortably clear of the field but will undoubtedly be looking to add an exclamation to its best regular season and a springboard for what the Badgers hope will be a championship postseason.
No. 3 Wisconsin (24-3-1 overall, 19-2-1 WCHA)
Top Scorers: Sara Bauer, Jr., F (20-24-44), Jinelle Zaugg, So., F (21-12-33), Sharon Cole, Sr., F (13-20-33)
Top Goaltenders: Meghan Horras, Sr. (14-2-1, 1.67, .922), Christine Dufour, Jr. (8-1-0, 1.23, .937)
Scoring Offense: 3.81 (3rd)
Scoring Defense: 1.50 (4th)
Penalty Minutes: 9.7 (31st)
Power Play: 32 of 168, 19.0% (8th)
Penalty Kill: 116 of 135, 85.9% (13th)
Ohio State (13-14-5 overall, 10-13-3 WCHA)
Top Scorers: Jana Harrigan, Sr., F (21-23-44), Amber Bowman, Jr., D (11-15-26), Erin Keys, So., F (10-6-16)
Top Goaltenders: Erika Vanderveer, Jr. (9-9-5, 2.64, .910), Liana Bonanno, Fr. (4-5-0, 3.58, .904)
Scoring Offense: 2.59 (17th)
Scoring Defense: 2.97 (T-23rd)
Penalty Minutes: 12.6 (16th)
Power Play: 19 of 140, 13.6% (22nd)
Penalty Kill: 139 of 167, 83.2% (23rd)
Series History
All-time: 21-3-5 Wisconsin
Last 5 meetings:
1/22/06: UW 5, OSU 1
1/20/06: UW 4, OSU 3 (OT)
2/12/05: UW 7, OSU 2
2/11/05: UW 6, OSU 3
10/23/04: OSU 3, UW 1
