(UW ATHLETICS) MADISON, Wis. – A two-goal and two-assist performance from Casey O’Brien helped the top-ranked Wisconsin women’s hockey team to a 5-2 victory over the St. Thomas Tommies to close out the two-game series sweep.
The Badgers (15-1-0, 11-1-0 WCHA) outshot St. Thomas (5-10-1, 2-9-0-1-1 WCHA) 40-27 as four different Badgers found the back of the net. O’Brien recorded her 139th assist — then her 140th — passing Sara Bauer for the most in school history. Caroline Harvey became the fifth and fastest Badger blueliner to record 100 points.
O’Brien scored in the first while Cassie Hall and Laila Edwards tacked on a couple in the second period. Harvey scored on the power-play in the third and O’Brien closed out the scoring for either team with eight to go in the third.
Wisconsin took a 1-0 lead just 54 seconds into the game. Kirsten Simms sent a cross-ice pass to a wide-open O’Brien, whose initial shot was saved by Tommie netminder Dani Strom, but the rebound bounced right back to O’Brien, who drilled the second shot into the back of the net. The Badgers took their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
St. Thomas equalized right after the Badgers killed off a penalty. Wisconsin took back the lead shortly after that. Edwards found herself open at the point and set the puck net-bound toward Hall, who finished the job from there.
The Badgers added one more eight and a half minutes into the period. Strom couldn’t freeze a rebound and Edwards picked up her second point of the night with the goal. O’Brien picked up her 139th assist to break the school record for career assists. The Tommies scored one more to end the second period with a 3-2 Badger lead.
Harvey recorded her 100th career point with a power-play goal to extend the Badgers lead to four. Lacey Eden passed the puck back to a wide-open Harvey in the slot who snapped a wrist shot past the St. Thomas netminder. Wisconsin added a fifth goal with eight and a half minutes to play. Simms and O’Brien found themselves on a 2-on-1 and Simms sent a pass across the slot for O’Brien to one-time into the back of the net.
Ava McNaughton made 25 saves on 27 shots she faced to ensure a Badger 5-2 victory.
Notes of the Game
- Casey O’Brien broke the school record for assists with her 139th career assist, passing Sara Bauer for the most in school history. Her 139 career assists are the 15th most in NCAA history and seventh in WCHA history.
- Caroline Harvey’s power-play marked her 100th career point. She became the fifth and fastest blueliner in school history to record 100 points.
- This marks the 11th time this season Wisconsin has scored more than five goals in a game.
- The Badgers outshot the Tommies 40 to 27.
Straight from the Rink
Head coach Mark Johnson
On the Badgers’ offense tonight:
“In a lot of our games, our good players have to be our good players. If they’re on the scoresheet, they’re going to impact the game. We were 3-2 and got our only power play of the night, and we capitalized within 10 seconds. That’s when your power play is working in those situations. You rely on that, then you get that opportunity which made it 4-2.”
On Casey O’Brien breaking the school assist record:
“She’s a good passer. That’s one of the reasons Simms and her play well together. They both can see the ice similarly. They both get into spaces and they both can pass the puck really well. They both can see passing lanes and areas to move the puck that some other kids don’t see. She’s had a wonderful career. I think she played really well last year, especially during the second half, and she’s having a good final year. Hopefully she can continue to play at this level.”
Junior Caroline Harvey
On the teams’ role in her milestone:
“I just have the greatest team here. I am never focused on the individual accolades but I was so proud of Casey (O’Brien) when that came up. When it happened it was a great pass by Lacey (Eden), got set up on the power play from everyone on the ice so I couldn’t do it without my teammates. Nothing something I care too much about but moving forward and focusing on the next weekend.”
On St. Thomas fighting back:
“They kept it close at some point, they were only a goal away from us. We went back to our game plan, we kept things simple, we kept a consistent 60 minutes, and worked hard. It was hard at some point we knew they were close and they are a tough team to play against. They’ve got some speed they got a good forecheck for us and they came back hard. We just had to capitalize when we had those opportunities”
About the crowd:
“We do it for them. We couldn’t do it without their support. It’s always such a lively and exciting environment here; never a dull moment with this crowd. We love their support and appreciate them a lot so winning in front of them always feels so good, especially in a sweep.”
Senior Casey O’Brien
On how the milestone went down:
“I don’t really care how it happened; just happy we got the goal, especially where that game was at we kind of needed it, energy wise.”
On the milestone:
“I’m just really glad that I get to spend my fifth year here and contribute any way I can to the team’s success and the main goals are all for the team goal at the end of the season and continue to work to that and have any individual records or milestones are an afterthought.”
Up Next: The Badgers head back on the road to take on Maine in the first meeting between the two teams since October 20th, 2003. The Badgers and Black Bears will meet on Friday at 5 p.m. CT and Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the games on ESPN+.
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