Women’s Hockey hosts No. 2 Wisconsin to resume WCHA play

For the third consecutive weekend, the Bemidji State University women’s hockey team will face a top-five nationally ranked opponent as it welcomes No. 2 University of Wisconsin to Sanford Center this weekend to resume Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.
 
The Beavers (4-13-1, 1-11-0 WCHA) play host to the second-ranked Badgers (11-2-1, 8-1-1 WCHA) for a two-game league series beginning Friday, Dec. 2 and concluding Saturday. Puck drop for game one is scheduled for 3:01 p.m., with game two beginning at 2:01 p.m.
 
Bemidji State will face Wisconsin for the second time this season after previously traveling to Madison, Wis., Oct. 20-21.

Wisconsin swept the Beavers in their last series after earning an 8-0 victory in game one and a 7-1 victory in game two.

Bemidji State snapped a six-game losing streak last weekend after defeating Sacred Heart University 4-1 in the consolation game of the Nutmeg Classic hosted by Quinnipiac University.

The four goals scored was the second-highest goal total for the Beavers this season after scoring six goals against Lindenwood University on Sept. 24.

Bemidji State has totaled 23 goals on the season which is tied for 32nd in Division I and seventh in the WCHA.

During its six-game losing skid, BSU was out-scored 25-2.

Bemidji State and Wisconsin will meet for the 99th and 100th meetings this weekend with the Badgers owning the all-time series record at 86-7-5 including a 38-3-3 record in Bemidji.

Junior Gabbie Smith scored the lone goal for the Beavers in their last series at Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is on a 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1) versus the Beavers and have not lost to BSU since Jan. 11, 2020.

Senior Reece Hunt leads active skaters with six points (1g-5a) in 14 career games versus the Badgers.

Junior netminder Hannah Hogenson is 0-4-1 in five starts versus the Badgers and has posted a 5.30 goals against average and .892 save percentage.

Bemidji State is led on offense by sophomore defenseman Adriana Van De Leest who has totaled seven points (7a) in 15 games and broke a six-game pointless streak with an assist against Sacred Heart.

She is followed by Gabbie Smith who has posted five points off two goals and three assists while Raeley Carney, Calli Forsberg, Genevieve Hendrickson, Taylor Nelson, Shelby Breiland and Kendra Fortin each have four points.

Twenty skaters have recorded at least one point for the Beavers leaving just two who have not yet recorded a point.

Carney paces the Beavers with three goals this season while the Beavers have seen 15 different goals scorers.

Bemidji State ranks fifth in the nation with 512 team saves and Hogenson is third in DI with 446 saves.

Bemidji State is seventh in the WCHA with a power-play percentage of .116 (5-43) but is 1-for-32 (.031) in conference play.

The Beavers also rank seventh in the league with a penalty-kill percentage of .804 (45-56).

Bemidji State leads the conference with 302 blocked shots with sophomore Taylor Larson leading the team with 33 and is tied for second in the WCHA.