Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/280435
51 "We had chances," Johnson said. "We just have to capitalize. We just have to execute a little bit bet- ter over the course of the three periods. If you're able to do that, then you put yourself in a position to win irrelevant to what's hap- pened the past four games this season and last year. "Those are just memories and experiences that, as a team, you try to put in your back pocket and learn from." One positive the Badgers have in their back pocket is an experienced goal- tender in Rigsby. An All-WCHA First Team honoree, Rigsby was in net for the Badgers during their 2011 NCAA title run and helped the Cardinal and White reach the national championship game in 2012. Rigsby holds a 6-1 record in NCAA postseason play, with her lone loss coming in the 2012 NCAA title game to Minnesota. Rigsby won her 100th career game last Sat- urday against Harvard, moving her into a tie for second place on the NCAA all-time list. "I think her experience in these settings is certainly going to be helpful," Johnson said. "We all know the goaltending posi- tion in our business, it's certain- ly a crucial part of it. Certainly, having Alex where she's at right now is going to be helpful." Another thing that helps Wis- consin is having familiarity with Minnesota, which is something that many of the Badgers, in- cluding freshman Sydney McK- ibbon, believe will help UW in the NCAA semifinal tilt. "I think it helps us because we know to expect," McKibbon said. "We know a lot about their players, their tendencies, differ- ent things about their game and what they like to do. I think that is important, and it will helpful rather playing an Eastern team we haven't seen yet." "The nice thing is we know their players," John- son echoed. "We understand their habits. So we're not uncomfortable being on the ice, and it's just a matter of being able to do a lot of those little things in execution for 60 minutes." The Badgers enter the weekend not thinking about their previous games against Minnesota, but about how they have a clean slate against the top-ranked team in the na- tion during the most impor- tant time of the year. "Coach says all the time, as soon as it hits play- off time records they don't exist anymore," Rigsby said. "That's kind of the mentality we should have going in to this game, knowing that we've prepared all year. "This is our time. It's going to be a great game." "TO BE HONEST, I'M TIRED OF LOS- ING TO THIS TEAM BUT IT IS GOING TO BRING A DETERMINATION TO US," RIGSBY SAID. DAVID STLUKA