1. LAST TIME OUT

The Badgers completed the season sweep of St. Thomas at home, taking down the Tommies, 7-0, on Saturday night and again on Sunday night, 5-1. 

Casey O’Brien and Laila Edwards enjoyed a five-point weekend, while Cassie Hall and Sarah Wozniewicz each posted three goals in the series. 

Jane Gervais earned her ninth win of the season, stopping all 10 of the shots she faced on Saturday, while Ava McNaughton made 22 saves on Sunday for her ninth win of the year. 

UW remains undefeated against UST as they have reigned victorious in each of the 11 meetings. 

2. O'BRIEN EARNS WCHA HONORS

Thanks to a five-point weekend against the Tommies, senior Casey O’Brien was named the WCHA Forward of the Week, the league announced Monday. 

The Milton, Massachusetts, native grabbed an assist in the 7-0 win over St. Thomas on Saturday before collecting two goals and two helpers in UW’s 5-1 win on Sunday. 

O’Brien’s first goal on Sunday marked her fourth game-winner of the season and 16th career game-winning goal, placing her at eighth in school history in the category. 

The center also received the WCHA Howie's Hockey Tape Performance of the Week. 

3. ON THE RISE

Following a stellar conference showing this past weekend, UW moved up to No. 2 in both the polls and the WCHA standings. 

Previously ranked third, Wisconsin trampled WCHA opponent, St. Thomas to bring its win streak to five games. Meanwhile, top-ranked Ohio State swept the former No. 2 Golden Gophers, giving the Badgers room to move up. 

Wisconsin now has 37 points in conference standings, six points behind the Buckeyes with 43. Minnesota sits in third place with 33 points, while Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State are tied for fourth with 29 points each. The Badgers' opponent this week, Minnesota State, sits in sixth with 12 points. 

4. BADGER TANDEM NAMED TO WATCH LIST

The Wisconsin women's hockey goaltending tandem of Jane Gervais and Ava McNaughton were each named to the watch list for the National Goaltender of the Year Award, as announced by the Hockey Commissioners Association on Friday. 

Gervais and McNaughton are two of 28 goalies on the list, which also features 10 netminders from the WCHA. 

A native of Valcourt, Quebec, Gervais ranks second in the NCAA in shutouts with five this season, while her nine wins are tied for ninth-most in the country. The redshirt junior also sports a 1.55 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. 

McNaughton, a Seven Fields, Pennsylvania, native, ranks seventh in the NCAA with a 1.317 goals-against average, which is also the best mark by a freshman in the country. Her nine wins rank ninth in the country and are tied for the most by a rookie, while she also sports a .939 save percentage. 

5. AGAINST THE MAVERICKS

Wisconsin leads the all-time series against Minnesota State 101-3-3, including a 44-1-2 record when playing in Mankato. 

The Badgers previously faced the Mavericks earlier in the season, resulting in a 6-0 victory in the series opener and a 9-0 takedown in the series finale. 

Britta Curl, Caroline Harvey and Kirsten Simms thrived against the Mavericks in the previous series, with each posting seven points. 

Goalies Jane Gervais and Ava McNaughton also shined against Minnesota State, as both netminders posted shutouts.