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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — If you didn't know all the back stories, you'd probably think the Wisconsin women's hockey team had a fairly routine first half of the season.
The veteran-laden Badgers (17-2-1 overall) reached the semester break as the top-ranked team in the country.
They own the most productive offense (3.90 goals per game) and stingiest defense (1.00 goals allowed per outing) in the nation.
They sit atop the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings, one point ahead of archrival Minnesota with 12 league games remaining.
If the season ended today, they would have an inside track to another NCAA Frozen Four berth, their 10th since 2006.
"I'm extremely happy with where we are as a team," UW senior center and captain Sydney McKibbon said. "We're doing a good job of coming to the rink every day with a smile on our face trying to get better."
The back stories put things in a more appreciative light.
Two members of the team — sophomore winger Sophia Shaver and director of hockey operations Paul Hickman — had immediate family members die suddenly.
Record-setting first-team All-American goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens missed four games with an upper-body injury and will begin the second half on the sidelines with a knee injury that will cost her more time between the pipes.
Junior winger Annie Pankowski, who led the club in scoring as a freshman and sophomore, endured a nine-game goal-less streak. The schedule, meanwhile, involved 12 games on the road, including six against top-10 opponents.
"Every team faces adversity," McKibbon said. "Maybe this year we've had a little bit more than normal."
Facing it is one thing. Thriving within it is something else.
A major factor in the process is that seven freshmen haven't played like newbies.
Center Abby Roque (3 goals, 12 assists, 15 points) appears to have found a home between Shaver and junior left winger Baylee Wellhausen.
Likewise, for right winger Presley Norby (4-10-14) with McKibbon and senior left winger Sarah Nurse.
Winger Alexis Mauermann (5-1-6) and defensemen Mekenzie Steffen (0-4-4) and Maddie Rowe (1-0-1) have been more than competent. Meanwhile, the health of Desbiens has opened the door to goaltender Nikki Cece, whose debut this far has been reassuring (3-1, 1.75 goals against average, .907 save ratio).
The only rookie still waiting in the wings is goaltender Alyson Baldwin.
"They've come in really well, really strong," McKibbon said of the freshmen. "They're all unique players and they all bring something different to the team.
"I think they've definitely matured over this first semester. The class as a whole has definitely impressed me."
One of the key developments for any team is how quickly first-year players adapt to new surroundings, experiences and expectations.
That process for the Badgers began over the summer when freshmen came to Madison and trained with the veterans while attending classes. That has evolved as the season has progressed.
"Having the summer to adjust to campus and stuff, that's helped," said Roque, who grew up playing exclusively boys' hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Roque credited the upperclassmen — McKibbon, Desbiens, Nurse and senior defenseman Jenny Ryan are the captains — with setting a nurturing tone.
"It's hard to feel like a freshman when they're all so good to you," Roque said, noting that at one point Ryan invited all the freshmen to her apartment for dinner.
"It's never easy with a big life change, but I think it's probably been easier than I expected," Norby said. "I didn't expect to have such great teammates and everyone around (the team) is trying to help out with school and hockey."
A benefit to all those road games — including trips to No. 7 Clarkson, No. 9 North Dakota and No. 3 Minnesota-Duluth — is the time spent getting acquainted.
"They helped bring us together and get to know the freshmen a little bit better," McKibbon said.
Getting to know one another off the ice can translate to strong chemistry on it. A good example is Wellhausen and Roque. Wellhausen has already equaled her career high with nine goals. One of the highlights of an 8-2 victory over Minnesota at LaBahn Arena on Dec. 4 was Wellhausen scoring off a behind-the-back feed from Roque.
"She's had some plays where you shake your head and go, 'Is she really a freshman?'" McKibbon said of Roque.
Norby has brought a similar component to her line of McKibbon (5-13-18) and Nurse (15-10-25).
"She's brought a lot to the table," McKibbon said of Norby, from Minnetonka, Minnesota.
According to Norby, one of the most eye-opening elements to her transition was seeing "the competitive edge our team brings every game, every practice and to see how chemistry can really impact a team."
A good measure of the Badgers' leadership and chemistry is seen in how they've embraced those back stories.
The loss of Shaver's brother and Hickman's father drew everyone close, while the initial injury to Desbiens prompted players to rally around Cece.
"With any adversity, I think our team takes it on composed and very focused," Norby said. "There's caring and kind words everywhere in the locker room."
In addition to some initial struggles on offense, Pankowski also missed four games helping the U.S. National Team win the Four Nations Cup.
"Adversity only makes us stronger as a team," Roque said. "When you have a player out and players have to go to (national training) camps and other people have to step up, it just helps."
UW went 6-2 against ranked opponents during the first half. That includes a road sweep of Clarkson, which handed fellow Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference power St. Lawrence its only loss to date.
The Saints currently have the best winning percentage in Division I at .889 (15-1-2).
If there was a pivotal first-half moment for the Badgers, it was their romp over Minnesota on the heels of a 2-0 series-opening loss.
"Pretty huge for us," McKibbon said. "It brings a lot of confidence for the second half."
It also helps to have the freshmen carrying their share of the weight.
