Storylines
- The Lindenwood women's ice hockey team has one of its biggest home series in program history this weekend during the Texas Roadhouse Classic. The Lady Lions will host the No. 2 team in the NCAA in the Wisconsin Badgers. Lindenwood and Wisconsin will play at 7 p.m. on Friday evening and again on Saturday at 2 p.m.
- The Lady Lions opened up the 2012-13 season last week with a pair of losses at Ohio State. The Buckeyes won game one of the series by a 4-0 margin, and they took the second game by a 7-2 score.
- Wisconsin is 1-0-1 on the season after opening its season up last week with a series at Minnesota State. The Badgers tied the Mavericks 2-2 in the opener followed by a 3-2 win in game two of the series.
- Lindenwood was home just four times last season, but the two games this week are the start of 18 regular season home games this year. Among the opponents are preseason nationally-ranked Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Mercyhurst.
- The Lady Lions were 0-4-0 on their home ice in their inaugural NCAA season. While a member of the ACHA, Lindenwood was 86-4-5 at the Lindenwood Ice Arena.
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Alison Wickenheiser's point streak was snapped at five games in the season opener but she started a new streak with a goal in the second game against Ohio State. She has now recorded at least one point in eight out of her last ten games. In that span, she has 14 goals and five assists.
- Lindenwood and Wisconsin met last season in the Lady Lions' inaugural NCAA games. The Badgers won by scores of 11-0 and 13-0.
- Lady Lions goalie
Taylor Fairchild was the team's top performer against Wisconsin as she made 108 saves in the two-game series.
- With the two losses against Ohio State, the Lady Lions are now 0-8-0 against WCHA teams. Wisconsin is 19-1-0 all-time against teams that currently make up the CHA.
- Lindenwood played in seven games in its inaugural season against nationally-ranked teams. The Lady Lions went 0-7-0 in those contests.
A Look Back At Ohio State
- Lindenwood was competitive with Ohio State when the two teams were at even strength, but struggled on special teams. The Buckeyes scored four power-play goals, one shorthanded goal, and had two other goals just seconds after a power-play expired before the Lindenwood skater could get back into play.
- Freshman
Nicole Hensley started in goal for both games last week and stopped 91.1 percent of the shots she faced. In game one, she made 60 saves and kept the game close until the Buckeyes scored twice in the final three minutes. Hensley then stopped 53 shots during Friday's contest.
- Last season's leading scorer,
Alison Wickenheiser, collected Lindenwood's first goal of the 2012-13 season. The Lady Lions' other goal came from freshman
Lyndsay Kirkham. Assists were given to
Alyssa West and
Jocelyn Slattery.
Lindenwood Notes
- Senior
Brett Lobreau will be the team's captain for the second straight year, and
Allysson Arcibal will be an assistant captain for the second time, and
Alyssa West will be an assistant captain for the first time.
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Nicole Hensley recorded over 100 saves last weekend, marking the fifth time that a Lindenwood goalie has made over 100 saves in a series. Her 60 saves in the opener was the second-most in Lindenwood's short NCAA history, and the 53 was also in the top-10.
- Two newcomers recorded a point last weekend. Freshman
Lyndsay Kirkham had her first collegiate goal on Saturday. Kirkham played for the Edge Mountaineers of the JWHL last season. She had 18 goals and 22 assists.
Jocelyn Slattery assisted on Kirkham's goal. Slattery is a transfer from Connecticut. She now has 13 assists in her third season of NCAA hockey.
- Lindenwood's captain
Brett Lobreau missed last weekend's series at Ohio State but is expected to be back this week. Lobreau, a forward during the program's final two ACHA seasons, moved to defense last year and anchored the team's top defensive line.
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Chelsea Witwicke and
Brooke Peden were on Lindenwood's first defensive line last week. Witwicke is a transfer from Niagara where she appeared in 55 games over the last two years. Peden is a freshman who previously played for the Edmonton Thunder and helped that team win the AMMFLH, Provincial, and Pacific Cup Championships.
- Lindenwood has its final tuneup before conference play starts when it travels to Minnesota State-Mankato on Oct. 12-13.
About Wisconsin
- Wisconsin has played in six of the last seven national championship games, and the Badgers have won four national championships in that span.
- Forward Brianna Decker was last year's Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner as the top player in NCAA hockey. She scored 37 goals and had 45 assists in 2011-12.
- Decker and goalie Alex Rigsby were recently selected to represent the United States at the 2012 Four Nations Cup. Rigsby was 33-5-2 last year with a 1.43 GAA and a .949 save percentage.
- Head coach of Wisconsin is Mark Johnson, a member of the 1980 United States men's hockey Olympic team. He has a career coaching mark of 281-46-27.
