An undefeated season is the ultimate dream. But when you have a 30-plus game season, not losing a single game isn’t the easiest feat.Playing a total of 34 games and losing only a couple certainly isn’t something to take for granted, though.So, when’s the last time a hockey team only lost two games in a season?Well, let’s make this easy. In case the answer didn’t jump out of the recesses of your brain, it’s Wisconsin’s very own women’s team.The Badgers ended the regular season with an impressive 30-2-2, 24-2-2-2 WCHA record. In the WCHA – arguably the nation’s toughest conference in both men’s and women’s hockey – 24 wins is hard to come by, facing some of the nation’s top teams week in and week out. Think of it as the SEC of hockey.Without the talented depth UW has, it’s hard to imagine the Badgers being such the dominant force they’ve turned into this season.The Badgers have at least 10 goals from seven players and 10 or more assists from 12 players. Overall, 14 players have at least 10 points on the season. On a current roster of 23 forwards and defensemen, only five haven’t put up a single point, and of those five, only two see ice time regularly.Simply put, the Badgers like to share the wealth.While the forwards have scored 166 goals this season, defensemen have scored a combined total of 15. Without a doubt, Wisconsin has the No. 1 offense in the nation, averaging 5.32 goals a game.Now, enough statistics. Every Badger seems to be getting in on the fun, and not just by scoring.While the defensemen have had their fair share of fun scoring goals, they also do their job on the other side of the puck, and do it well. Every defender has found extensive time on the ice while also making big stops and momentum-shifting blocks.Even the goaltenders are splitting time and posting their own number of shutouts.With a 20-1-2 record on the season, freshman Alex Rigsby has posted six shutouts, while sophomore Becca Ruegseggar has three with a 10-1-0 record.Rigsby may be minding the net more, but Ruegseggar also provides experience and strength in the net when the squad needs it.With a standard starting lineup of forwards Meghan Duggan, Brianna Decker and Brooke Ammerman, and defensemen Stef McKeough and Alev Kelter, the Badgers have 78 goals in that group alone.With the likes of forward Hilary Knight, Madison Packer and Brittany Ammerman coming off the bench, not to mention Mallory Deluce or Carolyne Prevost, Wisconsin has an intimidating squad at all levels.Sure, Duggan, Knight and Decker normally make headlines – all three were recently nominated for the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (women’s hockey’s top individual honor). But the impressive numbers UW has recorded this season makes it truly a team effort.In the last week of the regular season, the Badgers lost both Ammerman sisters to injuries after losing forward Kelly Nash the previous week. Wisconsin essentially lost an entire line of forwards heading into its final games against Mankato.In a testament to its depth and talent, UW didn’t seem phased at all after losing their fourth- and fifth-leading scorers, proceeding to crush MSU 4-0 and 9-1.Even without some of their top players, three skaters – Decker, Knight and Packer – notched hat tricks against the Mavericks.Not only did the squad combine for an “Ovechtrick” but Duggan also scored her 101st goal in her career at Wisconsin and broke a UW program record of 220 career points. Duggan’s record breaking points came off assists – further solidifying Wisconsin’s team-effort mentality.“I think we’re a very talented team,” Knight said. “We’ve got a lot of depth and that definitely differentiates us from any other team. We’ve got some of the top forwards in the U.S. and some of the top [defense] and forwards from the Canadian pool, as well. We mesh well together off the ice and that leads to great chemistry on the ice. As long as we’re having fun, working hard, we’re going to do well.”Sure, most successful teams have really great team chemistry. But as Knight suggests, Wisconsin’s depth helps it stand apart.In national rankings, the Badgers have four more regular season wins than both No. 2 Cornell and No. 3 Mercyhurst. Also, with six more wins than Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota – who both finished the season with 18 conference wins – Wisconsin ended the regular season with a solid 19-point lead.So what’s the point?Combined with their depth and offensive domination, the Badgers seem unstoppable.With the team head coach Mark Johnson has put together this season, there’s no foreseeable reason Wisconsin shouldn’t be skating in yet another national championship game.Yet, that’s not even on the squad’s radar yet. Right now, they’re just focused on the weekend at hand.“I think we’re confident, but we’re not overly confident or cocky,” Packer said.Sure they have every reason to be confident – 30 wins in one season is no easy feat – but with their talent and ability to bombard the net, Wisconsin has no reason to fear this playoff run.Kelly is a sophomore intending to major in journalism. Do you think the Badgers’ talented depth sets them apart, or is it something else? Let her know at kerickson@badgerherald.com.
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