Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2023-2024

[robertearle]

I didn't see yesterday, but today they look like a team missing two their best defensemen.

And now without three of the D. Ava Murphy checked from behind into the boards, HARD. Needed help getting up, help getting off the ice, straight to the locker room. I assume she hit her head, concussion, etc. She was in rough shape as she left. Crap!

 

[Gargoyle]

And now without three of the D. Ava Murphy checked from behind into the boards, HARD. Needed help getting up, help getting off the ice, straight to the locker room. I assume she hit her head, concussion, etc. She was in rough shape as she left. Crap!

This is the second major that Cara Sajevic has had this year, and she has racked up a total of 38 penalty minutes in 8 games. She's a freshman, so perhaps that's part of the explanation. But that hit tonight was inexcusable. Looking at the replay, it certainly appears that she actually pulled up and then intentionally and forcefully shoved Ava into the boards. The coach and the other players need to get a handle on this, and I hope that our coach has a heart-to-heart with that coach.

 

[Patricio]

Not the most uplifting weekend for the Badger women. The injury to Murphy in the second game was the worst of it. The hit causing it was a vicious, ugly one. If it proves to sideline her for a lengthy period of time, it will be another serious blow to Bucky’s prospects going forward.

Unfortunately, the discombobulated play by the Badgers in general tempered my outlook for the upcoming stretch of four series even before Murphy’s injury. Passes often were disconcerting, and the Badgers had unexpected difficulties clearing their zone. In addition, their inability to put shots in the net – even when they had advantages in numbers - was depressing. To top things off, they had TWO penalties for too many players on the ice – one for 6, the other for 7. It is difficult enough to understand 6. Had I had not witnessed it and been told there was a penalty for 7, I would not have been more incredulous.

I also watched the OSU-MN games, and those served to augment the concerns raised by the StT games. This OSU team is classic Muzerall – fast, quick, and aggressive. They used her standard incessant forechecking to sustain pressure on MN throughout both games. The only reason both games were decided by only one goal was the play of Vetter in goal for the Gophers. She kept the Gophers within range allowing them to take advantage of far fewer scoring chances. I don’t think the Badgers have the same level of goal tending (though McNaughton eventually may attain a similar level), leading me to dread the worst in the series with these two. I fear a similar level of play by Bucky against StC could prove costly as well.

I hope I am overreacting, and the Badgers manage to right the ship – they certainly have a lot of talented players though the number of injuries likely will exact a toll of some kind. And, I don’t have many suggestions for improving the situation. I would like to see Gorbatenko have more time on the line with Simms and O’Brien as I feel she would provide more offensively given a slot on a good line and I view LE’s play as somewhat uninspiring. I also would consider starting McNaughton in the StC series to test whether her readiness to handle the level of play of both OSU and MN (against whom I assume she will play anyway). Otherwise, I may have to resume a lot of praying – and possibly alcohol consumption as well.

 

[Timothy A]

And now without three of the D. Ava Murphy checked from behind into the boards, HARD. Needed help getting up, help getting off the ice, straight to the locker room. I assume she hit her head, concussion, etc. She was in rough shape as she left. Crap!

Look to me like she was favoring one of her legs going off the ice.

I was watching Wisconsin's line changes last weekend and it sure looked to me like they were leaving the bench pretty early, really pushing the boundaries of legality, so I'm not surprised they got pinched on that. They should just paint a box on the ice in front of the bench that you have to be in to be exchanged for another player.

It was comical that every time there was a major penalty the refs call a minor on the power play team. I thought the one on Gorbo was especially lousy of a call.

It is truly amazing how Harvey not being in the lineup shows us what a magical player she is, a one of a kind player.

It would be interesting to flip the goalies and have Ava play the first game and Jane play the second game. It seems to me like Ava is benefiting from the team getting one game in on an opponent. It would be interesting to see her play in a more stressed game.

 

[Timothy A]

I had no idea Wilgren was out all of last year. That would explain why she looked a bit shaky early in the year. I sure hope UW at least gets Edwards back for this weekend. Hopefully Helgeson and Kotlowski practice at D all week. These injuries could de-rail this season.

 

[BadgerPete]

Coach Johnson on Murphy at today's press conference: "Yeah, she got hit pretty hard, everyone was nervous but she seemed to be doing well yesterday. She'll skate today with no contact, she's in a pretty good place right now from that standpoint."

Edwards apparently was a last second scratch from the trip with a high temp but is feeling much better and skated yesterday. No updates on others.

 

[robertearle]

Coach Johnson on Murphy at today's press conference: "Yeah, she got hit pretty hard, everyone was nervous but she seemed to be doing well yesterday. She'll skate today with no contact, she's in a pretty good place right now from that standpoint."

Edwards apparently was a last second scratch from the trip with a high temp but is feeling much better and skated yesterday. No updates on others.

That's about as good as we could have hoped. Thanks.

 

[robertearle]

I know we'll find out in a couple hours, but I was looking at a photo on the team twitter page, and I count 20 players dressed for a practice in St Cloud. Three goalies, and no Chayla Edwards in the photo.

That means out of Chayla, Vasseur, Enright, Harvey and Murphy potentially missing, two of them must be there and practicing! Murphy and either Enright or Harvey would be the most likely. That's good news, no?

 

[BadgerPete]

I know we'll find out in a couple hours, but I was looking at a photo on the team twitter page, and I count 20 players dressed for a practice in St Cloud. Three goalies, and no Chayla Edwards in the photo.

That means out of Chayla, Vasseur, Enright, Harvey and Murphy potentially missing, two of them must be there and practicing! Murphy and either Enright or Harvey would be the most likely. That's good news, no?

Murphy and Edwards are both in the lineup today.

 

[robertearle]

Murphy and Edwards are both in the lineup today.

I see that. But Chayla wasn't in the photo. So that means somebody else was. I thought I heard MJ say something about Enright skating. Maybe she's skating in practice but not ready for full speed game yet.

Anyway, good news on Murphy. Let's go, Red!

 

[Timothy A]

Murphy and Edwards are both in the lineup today.

But Murphy is not with her normal partner, she's with Kotlowski as the 3rd d pair, which makes me wonder how much she will play. Perhaps they will ease her back into it this weekend. Hopefully Potter and Wilgren will develop some quick chemistry.

Let's go RED!

 

[robertearle]

But Murphy is not with her normal partner, she's with Kotlowski as the 3rd d pair, which makes me wonder how much she will play. Perhaps they will ease her back into it this weekend. Hopefully Potter and Wilgren will develop some quick chemistry.

Let's go RED!

I don't remember seeing Chayla on the ice much, but I'm bad at that live, and worse on video.

Murphy had a goal.

Two 'roster' bits of trivia, one I knew and one I learned today: Grace Bowlby's younger sister CC plays for St Cloud, and Cassie Hall's older sister Courtney played at St Cloud.

 

[Gargoyle]

A couple of nail-biters in St. Cloud this weekend, but the Badgers sure are resilient. Lots of ice time for everyone who is healthy. Today, Anna Wilgren wasn't dressed. It's a good time for a bye week.

 

[Timothy A]

A couple of nail-biters in St. Cloud this weekend, but the Badgers sure are resilient. Lots of ice time for everyone who is healthy. Today, Anna Wilgren wasn't dressed. It's a good time for a bye week.

Not the kind of weekend in terms of the eye test that I was hoping to see. I don't know if the injuries @ D are just screwing up the overall chemistry or if this is the real Badgers minus all world KK against a better team. Once factor maybe a faceoff issue. Got killed in the faceoff circle all weekend, lost 22 to 30 and 22 to 31 in faceoffs, which of course means you have to expel more energy trying to get the puck/defend and less time attacking. If the PP was not on fire, UW wasn't going to sweep, and might have lost both games; they were 2/3 in both contests. It is great to see the PP actually working well for once.

If UW is not 100% healthy and doesn't fix the faceoff problem, tosu is going to beat us like a rug.

 

[Timothy A]

Hey Robert, I have to say I didn't expect your reaction that you had to the Craig Council departure. I didn't think you had it in you to kind of be a grudge holder like that, that's more of my personality lol. I with you on that though 100%.

 

[Timothy A]

Does anybody know if Harvey traveled with the team to the rivalry series or not? I see in all Badger line, which is pretty cool.

 

[Gargoyle]

Does anybody know if Harvey traveled with the team to the rivalry series or not? I see in all Badger line, which is pretty cool.

Caroline Harvey would not have made the trip because she is not on the roster. https://teamusa.usahockey.com/202324rivalryseriesroster
I hope that Wilgren and Edwards, both of whom are on the roster and presumably traveled, will be dressed in LA. Both teams are extremely fast, so Edwards will need to turn on her hyperjets. She can be deceptively speedy when she has room to get going.

 

[Timothy A]

Caroline Harvey would not have made the trip because she is not on the roster. https://teamusa.usahockey.com/202324rivalryseriesroster
I hope that Wilgren and Edwards, both of whom are on the roster and presumably traveled, will be dressed in LA. Both teams are extremely fast, so Edwards will need to turn on her hyperjets. She can be deceptively speedy when she has room to get going.

Well that answers that.

 

[Timothy A]

I had no idea that LaBahn was not NHL sized until the discussion about changing the Kohl center ice sheet came up. I think I'd be in favor of reducing LaBahn to NHL sized so going on the road trips the pace of game would not be an issue on a smaller rink for us to adjust to. On the other hand maybe it gives us a home ice advantage.

 

[robertearle]

I had no idea that LaBahn was not NHL sized until the discussion about changing the Kohl center ice sheet came up. I think I'd be in favor of reducing LaBahn to NHL sized so going on the road trips the pace of game would not be an issue on a smaller rink for us to adjust to. On the other hand maybe it gives us a home ice advantage.

The Kohl Center ice is even bigger than LaBahn. Or at least it used to be. There's always talk about shrinking it (as a way to fit in more seats?) but I don't think they've done so yet. The Gophers shrunk the ice at Mariucci this year from 100' wide to 89'; still not NHL though.

You can look at the red 'hash marks' to the outside of the faceoff circles and see how close or far they are from the boards to see how close to NHL 85' the ice is. For an 85' rink, there's 3 1/2 feet; at LaBahn for example, there's 6'; at St Cloud, there's 11'.