Badgers Take Game 4 of Border Battle to Stay Number 1

Ceci De Young/Golden Gophers Athletics

Yesterday the Border Battle continued for the last regular season matchup. The Minnesota Golden Gophers were able to take a season lead 2-1 with a big overtime, courtesy of Molly Jordan. But the Wisconsin Badgers came back in Game 2 to even the score. 

Leading up to the border battle there were some concerns for the Badgers team losing their core group in Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards and Kirsten Simms. However, they found a way to battle back against their longest standing rivalry. 

Leading the charge for the Badgers was Cassie Hall, who got her first hattrick of the season, now up to 19 goals. Joining her was Vivian Jungels who got a pair of goals, bringing her to 4 on the season and rounding out Wisconsin’s scoring was sophomore Maggie Scannell with her 10th of the season. 

For Minnesota the lone goal came from defender Chloe Primerano, bringing her to 7 on the season. The Gophers do have some breathing room in third place with Minnesota Duluth 16 points behind them in fourth, however, if they want to climb the ranks there is more work to be done ahead of their matchup with St. Thomas. In their first matchup this season the Gophers swept the series at home, this time they will head on the road, to take on a hot St. Thomas team coming off a series sweep over St. Cloud. 

Well with the win the Wisconsin Badgers maintained their first overall position by a hair, they are now just 1 point ahead of Ohio State and are going to need this momentum to continue, as the Buckeyes head to Wisconsin next weekend. In their matchup earlier this season the Badgers swept the series on the road, this time they are defending home ice, in a battle for the top. 

In the coming games expect to see more of Cassie Hall for the Badgers, she has slid under the radar most of the season with big names ahead of her, but is dangerous in front of the net. The junior has 36 points on the season. She also is a threat on the back end with 15 blocked shots and don't sleep on the faceoff, now with a 56.81 win percentage.