LaBahn Arena opened up for business for the first time this past weekend as Wisconsin hosted Bemidji State for a pair of games. Unfortunately for the Badgers it wasn't quite the weekend they were hoping for as they got blanked by the Beavers 1-0 on Friday and tied them 3-3 on Sunday. Friday night's win was the first one of the season for the visiting Beavers (2-3-1, 1-2-1 WCHA).
Wisconsin (3-3-2, 1-3-2 WCHA) did managed to win the shoot out on Sunday for the extra point in the WCHA standings. Currently the Badgers sit in a 5th place tie with Minnesota-Duluth on 7 points following this weekend's results.
On Friday night the Badgers went down in front of a sellout crowd of 2,273 people who witnessed the opening of LaBahn and the program's 500th game overall. Wisconsin and Bemidji State skated to scoreless first and second periods as the Badgers only out shot the Beavers 19-17 through those periods. The offensive struggles continued for Wisconsin after they gave up what would be the game winning goal at the 4:34 mark of the 3rd period, only mustering 8 shots in the final frame. Kristen Hubert got her first goal of the season for the Beavers to earn the win.
Goaltender Alex Rigsby stopped 22 of 23 shots on the night and took her 3rd loss of the season.
Sunday saw the Badgers finally score their first goal in their new digs and of course it would have to come from star Brianna Decker as well. It ended a 10 period streak for her without a goal and was her 7th goal of the season, but the 2nd period goal only served to tie the game at 1-1.
Wisconsin took their first lead of the weekend on Courtney Burke's 1st goal of the season just 3:22 into the 3rd period. That lead would stand for about 11 minutes until Wisconsin's Brianna Decker would be set to the sin bin for checking at 13:42. Bemidji State capitalized on the penalty and tied it up at 2-2 just under a minute into the power play.
Just under a minute later the Badgers found themselves a woman down as Madison Packer would go to the box for tripping. However, the Badgers found a way to turn that shorthanded play into an opportunity, scoring just 10 seconds into their opponents power play to retake the lead at 3-2.
That lead looked safe as the Badgers headed into the final minute of play with that lead, but the Beavers put on an extra woman and it paid off just 56 seconds from the end of regulation on Saddie Lundquist's 1st goal of the season tied it up at 3-3.
Both teams skated to a non-eventful overtime period and the Badgers earned the extra point by winning the shoot out 2-0.
Wisconsin will look to right the offensive ship as they welcome in non-conference foe New Hampshire for a pair of games on Friday and Sunday at LaBahn Arena.
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