An irate Iowa State women’s hockey team is aiming to take out its frustration against Wisconsin after surrendering bragging rights in the Cy-Hawk rivalry.
The Cyclones (5-12-1) are fresh off two losses in Iowa City last weekend and will take on the Badgers (10-7-1) in a Valentine’s Day series showdown.
The Cyclones have had minimal goal-scoring production, as they have only scored more than two goals once in their last six games.
The top players from Iowa State have been present as Tessa Strand, Tory Lacomy, Abigail Moore and Ellie Volkers have been producing at a point-per-game pace.
Lacomy has scored five of the last nine goals Iowa State has buried. Scoring from the rest of the club is going to be a key to victory.
Goaltending is also in question as the Cyclones visit Madison. Allison Moore has been the Cyclones’ goalie for the last three seasons, but has struggled so far this campaign.
Natalie Kayser has been given a shot in the net and has played well in the three games she has played. The goalies will likely split the series this weekend, getting a game each.
The Badgers play a scrappy style of hockey, controlling the puck and not scoring much, but not allowing many in either.
Wisconsin came out of the gates hot, starting 8-2-1 and letting in an average of 1.9 goals per game, which includes two outlier games where they lost 7-0 and 5-3. It shows how dominant the team was in that stretch at the beginning of the year.
Since then, the Badgers’ goals against average is still at a low 2.43 goals, but they are only generating 1.57 goals per game.
Over the course of the season, Wisconsin has had three goalies suit up for four or more games. None of them has a save percentage of 88% or higher; all of them sit under 3.00 goals allowed per game.
The same goes for their offense, as there is not one Badger who is scoring at a point-per-game pace. Forward Kaitlyn Bush is the leader among the ladies, scoring seven goals and seven assists in 14 games played.
The Badgers don’t play a flashy style of hockey, but they can use that to their advantage. Wisconsin needs to score in the weekend series to defeat the Cyclones. They had Iowa State’s number last season, winning 2-1 and 6-1 at the Ames Ice Arena. The Cyclones have the opportunity to do the same by picking up two wins against the home team.
This is the last road series for the Cyclones as the season is coming to an end. Their last couple of games will be against Augustana in Ames, and Iowa State plans to take care of business against Wisconsin before setting its sights ahead on its return home.
The games will be played in the Bakke Recreation and Wellbeing Center in Madison at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 11:00 a.m. Sunday.
