MADISON, Wis. – The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team skated with the top team in the nation for nearly three periods but a third period goal from Hilary Knight lifted No. 1 University of Wisconsin to a 1-0 win over BSU. The Beavers fall to 14-12-3 (8-12-2 WCHA). The game occurred in front of an NCAA record 12,402 fans at the Kohl Center as the Badgers had a “Fill the Bowl” promotion Saturday night. The Badgers improve to 24-2-2 (18-2-2 WCHA) with the win. BSU suffers only its third loss of the season in game two as they have fallen to Wisconsin twice and Ohio State once in game.

The Beavers were led by Montana Vichorek (Sr., D, Moose Lake, Minn.) with five shots on goal while Zuzana Tomcikova (Sr., G, Bratislava, Slovakia) only allowed one goal while making 32 saves. Wisconsin was paced by Knight’s nine shots on goal. Alex Rigsby picked up the win after making 28 saves on the night and having a clean sheet as she picked up the shutout.

Bemidji State had two power-play opportunities in the first period but was unable to score on either opportunity despite several good chances at net. The Badgers had a power-play opportunity of their own at the end of the first period but were also unable to convert on the chance as both team’s penalty kill units were vital early on.

After nearly 30 minutes of scoreless hockey it looked as Wisconsin would go ahead 1-0 as Alev Kelter stole the puck from the Beavers at center ice where she found Madison Packer who skated in for a one-on-one opportunity with Tomcikova. Packer beat Tomcikova for what looked to be her 13^th score of the season but Tomcikova’s goalie mask fell off before Packer attempted the shot so the goal was disallowed by the officials leaving the game knotted up at 0-0 between the Beavers and the Badgers.

BSU had a prime chance late in the second period as Kimberly Lieder (Sr., D, Eagan, Minn.) played the puck up the boards on the penalty kill where she found Lauren Williams (Sr., F, Eagan, Minn.) all alone. L. Williams had a one-on-one chance against Wisconsin netminder Rigsby but the Badger netminder looked to have the puck but the puck trickled behind her just going wide of the net.

After the scoreless hockey continued into the third period, Wisconsin finally lifted the lid on the scoring when Brittany Ammerman played a pass from behind the net to Hilary Knight who was on the left side of the goal. Knight slid the puck underneath the legs of Tomcikova for the goal. The netter was Knight’s 24^th of the season. Bri. Ammerman picked up her 11^th assist of the season while Katy Josephs also added an assist, her 10^th of the year.

BSU had a great chance as Mackenzie Thurston (Jr., F, Ottawa, Ontario) got the puck in the kill zone and put a shot on net but was unable to connect.

Tomcikova tied Emily Brookshaw’s career mark with 110 games played with Saturday’s start. The BSU netminder now owns the school records for minutes played, shutouts, games played and wins in a career.

BSU has only lost by one goal in their last three losses with a 3-2 loss to then-No. 2 Minnesota last Friday, a 3-2 overtime loss to Wisconsin Friday and a 1-0 loss to the Badgers Saturday.

Bemidji State falls to 3-45-2 all-time against the University of Wisconsin with Saturday’s loss. BSU will head to University of North Dakota next weekend for another WCHA series.