What's On Tap: The Minnesota State women's hockey team hosts a pair of WCHA games this Friday and Saturday vs. the #3 University of Wisconsin after playing four-consecutive games on the road.

The Mavericks, who are now 2-7-1 (0-6-0 WCHA) and Badgers, boasting an 8-0-0 (6-0-0 WCHA) record, will match up October 30-31. Puck drop for both contests are slated for 2:07 p.m. at Verizon Wireless Center.

Last Weekend Look Back: Minnesota State traveled to Columbus, Ohio last Friday and Saturday to faceoff with the Buckeyes of Ohio State. The Mavericks lost the pair of matches by scores of 5-3 and 4-0. Maverick junior goaltender Brianna Quade (Newcastle, Ont.) made 56 stops on the weekend, increasing her season total to a NCAA-leading 289 saves.

In Friday's matchup vs. OSU, Minnesota State took a 2-0 lead to start the game off. Freshman Emily Antony (Plymouth, Minn.) scored her second goal of the season with sophomores Anna Keys (Cottage Grove, Minn.) and Elin Johansson (Hudiksvall, Sweden) providing helpers on the play. Just under five minutes later, freshman Corbin Boyd (Minnetonka, Minn.) recorded her second goal of the year with fellow freshman Steph Keryluk (Verona, Wis.) and sophomore Amanda Conway (Naperville, Ill.) assisting on the play. The Buckeyes were able to answer with one marker before the first period was over making the score 2-1. In the second frame OSU grabbed a one-goal lead scoring two goals, six minutes apart. The game ended at 5-3 in favor of Ohio State as OSU buried two more goals, including a power-play marker. Sophomore Hannah Davidson (Kincardine, Ont.) scored her second goal of the season on a short-handed opportunity for MSU's third marker.

Saturday's game was less favorable for Minnesota State as the Mavericks were shutout 4-0. Sophomore Katie Bidulka (Oakville, Ont.) got her first career start, but it was short lived as OSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead just seven minutes and 11 seconds into the game. Quade finished the game allowing one more Buckeye goal, recording 26 saves.

Scouting the Badgers: Wisconsin comes into the weekend owners of an overall record of 8-0-0 and a 6-0-0 record in WCHA play. The Badgers are ranked No. 3 in both the USCHO.com poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. Last weekend the Badgers swept Bemidji State at home by scores of 3-0 and 4-0.

Wisconsin is led by head coach Mark Johnson who has compiled a 368-71-34 record in 13 seasons at the helm of the Badgers program.

Sophomore Annie Pankowski leads the team with 16 points after recording nine goals and seven assists. Following Pankowski is junior Sarah Nurse with seven goals and four assists for 11 points and right behind her is Sydney McKibbon, Emily Clark, and Jenny Ryan all with 10 points each. Junior, goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens owns a 7-0-0 record this season allowing .30 goals per game while amassing a save percentage of .980. The Badgers are averaging 5.3 goals per game while allowing 0.30 goals per game. They are also outshooting their opponents averaging 42.3 shots per game while allowing 14.8.

Last Time Around: The Mavericks were swept by the Badgers in the last meeting between the two programs by scores of 3-0 and 5-1 last January in Madison, Wis.

Minnesota State All-Time: The MSU women's hockey program - started in 1998-99 - is currently in its 18th season of competition and has compiled a 163-378-49 (.318) record in 590 total games played. The Mavericks are in their 17th year as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and hold an 83-284-39 (.253) mark in 406 league contests.

Racking Up the Stops: Junior goaltender Brianna Quade is leading the country in saves (289) and is ranked 17th in save% (.920) through the first four weeks of competition in the 2015-16 season. Quade also leads the nation in minutes played with 595:08, while tying for 23rd recording a goals against average of 2.52.

Productive Underclassmen: MSU has now scored 18 goals through the first five weeks of action in the 2015-16 season. Of those 18 markers, 16 have been tallied by underclassmen. Seven of which are first-career markers for Maverick freshman. Also, in the first 10 games of the season, Minnesota State has generated 44 points (goals and assists). 35 of those points have been recorded by Maverick freshmen and sophomores.

Road Warriors: The Mavericks will play 16 road games this 2015-16 season, that features 16 WCHA games as well as a trip to the state of New York, where MSU split with RIT in Rochester, N.Y., Oct. 2-3, 2015., Minnesota State has played six of the 16 road games on the season and compiles a 1-5-0 record on the road.

Looking Ahead: After hosting #3 Wisconsin in Mankato this weekend, Minnesota State will have a week off before traveling to St. Cloud State to take on the Huskies Nov. 13-14.