The opening of LaBahn Arena for competition is getting closer and closer with each passing road series and after a win and a tie last weekend against Minnesota State-Mankato the Badgers (1-0-1) move out of WCHA play to take on Lindenwood University in St. Louis, MO this weekend.
The Lindenwood Lady Lions (0-2-0) were swept away by Ohio State on the road last weekend and will open up their home slate with the Badgers. Ohio State took the two games by 4-0 and 7-2 scores.
Games this weekend will be Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm and mark the highest ranked opponent to visit Lindenwood in their history.
You may be asking who the heck Lindenwood are, and you wouldn't be alone as the Lady Lions are in just their 2nd season of NCAA competition. Last year these two teams met in Lindenwood's first two games ever, with the Badgers giving them a lesson or two, winning 11-0 and 13-0.
It's pretty safe to say the Badgers could well produce those same results this season against their College Hockey America foes. Currently Lindenwood is 0-8-0 against teams from the WCHA. Wisconsin on the other hand is 19-1-0 against CHA foes.
Last weekend the Badgers out shot the Mavericks on net, 82-41, for the weekend, holding a scoring advantage of just 5-4 however.
Goaltender Alex Rigsby played every minute available to her in the opening series, coming up huge in the shoot out to help Wisconsin gain the extra point after the tie. She stopped 21 of 23 on Friday and 16 of 18 on Saturday. Rigsby is expected to see every minute in next again this weekend and is currently 5th nationally with a 1.92 goals against average.
Her opposite number, Nicole Hensley wasn't bad despite the score line last weekend, entering the weekend just ahead of Rigsby in save percentage nationally. Hensley has .911 percentage to Rigsby's .902.
On the offensive side of things the Badgers are led by none other than Brianna Decker who has 2 goals and 1 assist on the young season for 3 points, which puts her in a tie for 13th place nationally. Lindenwood is led by Lyndsay Kirkham and Alison Wickenheiser who both have 1 goal a piece. Wisconsin should also be on the look out for Jocelyn Salltrey and Alyssa West, who had assists last weekend. Wickenheiser had a five game point streak snapped in the opening game last weekend, but is probably their most dangerous offensive weapon.
Wisconsin will look to try and exploit a major weakness from the 1st series for Lindenwood, the Power Play, where they allowed the Buckeyes to go 4 for 14 on the weekend. Wisconsin went just 1 for 5 themselves last weekend.
Prediction: Wisconsin sweeps the series 10-0, 8-2
For full coverage of the weekend series make sure you check back here, but for live coverage make sure to follow us on Twitter as well as the Badgers website for up to date stats and where to find coverage of the game.
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