Five Things to Know: UW opens title defense at Lindenwood

Friday, September 24

Maryland Heights, Mo.

7:10 PM

Wisconsin Badgers

Lindenwood

Photo by: Robert Frank

Five Things to Know: UW opens title defense at Lindenwood

September 22, 2021 | Women's Hockey

Game Notes: Lindenwood

UW heads to Gateway City to take on the Lions

By: AJ Harrison

MADISON, Wis. – The six-time Wisconsin women's hockey team opens up its 2021-22 season on the road at Lindenwood this weekend. Puck drop on Friday at Centene Community Ice Center, the practice home of the St. Louis Blues, is set for 7:10 p.m. while Saturday's series finale starts at 3:30 p.m. CT.

Fans can watch the games via Stretch Internet while live stats will be available on UWBadgers.Com. Fans can also follow all the action live on Twitter via @BadgerWHockey.

1. TWO, FOUR, SIX, WE WANT MORE: The Badgers captured their sixth NCAA title last March thanks to a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Northeastern in Erie, Pa. Thanks to the title, the Badgers are now tied with Minnesota for the most NCAA women's hockey titles as both Border Battle rivals have captured six NCAA titles. In addition, Mark Johnson captured his sixth NCAA title on the bench, the most of any NCAA Division I women's hockey coach.

2. WATTS RISING UP THE RANKS: Daryl Watts enters the 2021-22 season ranked in the top-15 in NCAA history in career goals with 108 and points with 240. A goal this weekend would move Watts out of a three-way tie for 14th in NCAA history with UW Hall of Famer Meghan Duggan and Amanda Kessel. Watts is also ranked 14th in NCAA history in points with 240 and needs four points to move into a tie for 12th place with Badger legend Brianna Decker.

Watts ranked 22nd in school history with 110 points in two seasons at UW, which is remarkable due to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons being shortened due to COVID-19. The Toronto native also holds the school record for most assists in the season of 49 set during the 2019-20 campaign.

3. RETURN OF THE MAK: This weekend's series will be a homecoming for UW sophomore Makenna Webster, who grew up in St. Louis. The first player in school history from the Show-Me State, Webster made her mark during her freshman season as she was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2021 NCAA Women's Frozen Four and was named the WCHA Rookie of the Month for the month of March.

4. READY IN RED: Four Badgers are slated to make their debut this weekend senior defenseman Kendra Nealey, freshmen forwards Marianne Picard and Sarah Wozniewicz and freshman defenseman Sophie Helgeson. Nealey, a Madison native, arrives at UW after spending three seasons at Cornell. Picard and Wozniewicz were pegged as WCHA Preseason Co-Rookie's of the Year while Helgeson is the daughter of former Badger defenseman Jon Helgeson, who helped the UW men win the 1990 NCAA title.

5. SOLID IN SEPTEMBER: The Badgers excel in the ninth month of the year, holding a 17-0-1 record all-time in September and are on a 13-game winning streak in the month. Sophie Shirley has seven points during September while Brette Pettet has scored six points in the month.