Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. – No. 1 University of Wisconsin completed its sweep over the Bemidji State University women's hockey team Saturday afternoon after the Badgers earned a 5-2 victory over the Beavers. Fifth-year seniors Lindsey Featherstone and Lydia Passolt each scored for the Beavers while sophomore goaltender Hannah Hogenson made 48 saves.
The Beavers lose their second consecutive game and fall to 6-10-2 (3-10-1 WCHA) on the season while the Badgers earn their second consecutive win and improve to 17-1-2 (13-1-2 WCHA).
Bemidji State got off to a slow start in the game and were outshot 20-4 in the first period. Wisconsin scored its first goal of the game 11:47 into the period off the stick of Daryl Watts for her 14th goal of the season. The Badgers later added to its lead with just 1:39 left in the frame when Brette Pettet netted her fifth goal of the season. The Beavers escaped the period with the two-goal deficit with Hogenson making 18 saves during the period.
Bemidji State found its legs in the second period and totaled six shots on goal including one from Lindsey Featherstone 11:45 through the period that beat goaltender Kennedy Blair to pull the Beavers within one. For Featherstone, it was her third goal of the season and first since Nov. 27. She was assisted by sophomore Taylor Nelson who created space away from the Badger defense and threw a centering pass in front to Featherstone.
Wisconsin was quick to answer back however, and just 1:42 after BSU's marker, Casey O'Brien netted her NCAA leading 20th goal of the season to put the Badgers back up by two. The middle period would end with the 3-1 lead for Wisconsin and the Badgers held a 34-10 shot advantage.
The Beavers didn't quit and 6:17 into the third period, Passolt threw a centering pass in front of Blair that redirected off of her skate and found the back of the net to pull the Beavers back within one once again. Bemidji State remained within one of the top-ranked Badgers until two penalties at the halfway mark of the period gave UW a 5-on-3 advantage. The nation's third highest scoring team took advantage and Watts netted her second of the game while on the two-man advantage to once again take a two-goal lead. Bemidji State struggle to comeback from then on and with 43 seconds to play, Sophie Shirley scored an empty-net goal for the Badgers to seal the 5-2 victory and series sweep.
Wisconsin finished the game with a 53-15 shot advantage over the Beavers with Hogenson earning 48 saves to bring her weekend total to 97 after making 49 saves in game one. Hogenson is now 5-7-2 on the season while Blair improves to 15-1-2 with the win and made 13-of-15 saves.
Bemidji State earned one power play during the game and came up empty on its chance while the Badgers went 1-for-4 on the power play.
The Beavers will attempt to get back to its winning ways next weekend and continue play at home when they host Minnesota State University, Mankato for a two-game, league series to close out the 2021 calendar year.
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
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