Women's Hockey vs. Minnesota State

Women's Hockey

Five Things to Know: No. 1 Badgers ready to battle Minnesota State at home

Badgers set to face Mavericks Saturday and Sunday at LaBahn Arena

MADISON, Wis. – The top-ranked Wisconsin women’s hockey team is set to battle the Minnesota State Mavericks on Saturday and Sunday at LaBahn Arena. Puck drop is at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday and 2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Fans can watch the action on B1G+ or listen to Paul Braun on The Game 1070. Tickets are available on SeatGeek

Patrons coming to the game at LaBahn should note that parking is available in Lots 29 and 46 for $5 and ADA parking is available in Lot 48 and 87 for $5. Fans should also note that there is a UW women's basketball game at 1:30 p.m. CT at the Kohl Center. 

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Wisconsin vs. Minnesota State

Casey O'Brien stick-handles against OSU

1. LAST TIME OUT
Wisconsin won the majority of points on the table in a two-game series against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. They earned a decisive 6-0 victory in game one of the series at LaBahn Arena. Lacey Eden picked up two goals in that game as sophomore netminder Ava McNaughton picked up her NCAA-leading seventh shutout of the season.

The Badgers went on to earn a 3-3 tie at Wrigley Field as part of the Frozen Confines series. Ohio State picked up the extra WCHA point, winning the shootout 1-0. Caroline Harvey, Kirsten Simms and Kelly Gorbatenko all notched goals in the game as McNaughton put together another solid performance, recording a season-high 36 saves. 

2. MCNAUGHTON NETS HONOR
McNaughton earned her second WCHA goaltender of the week award of the season. She started the series against the Buckeyes with a shutout in Wisconsin's 6-0 victory in game one. The sophomore stopped all 18 shots she faced to record her NCAA-leading seventh shutout of the season.
 
The netminder stopped 36 of 39 shots she faced in three periods and a full frame of overtime at the Frozen Confines in Wrigley Field on Saturday. The Seven Fields, Pennsylvania, native posted a 0.923 save percentage through 65 minutes of play. McNaughton went on to stop six of the seven shootout attempts she faced. The 36 saves were the most the goaltenders amassed this entire season as well as the most total shots she's had to face in a single game.
 
Apart from leading the country in shutout, McNaughton ranks first in the WCHA and second in the NCAA in both save percentage and goals against average.

Fans celebrate a goal at LaBahn Arena

3. HOME ICE ADVANTAGE

Wisconsin is a perfect 9-0-0 at home so far this season. They've outshot opponents 381-166 and outscored them 59-8. The Badgers have recorded six team shutouts. Wisconsin is averaging 6.56 goals per game at LaBahn this season.

Through just under 480 minutes, Ava McNaughton allowed only eight goals for a goals-against average of just 1.00 and a save percentage of .948.

Casey O'Brien leads the team at home with 20 points and 16 assists. Lacey Eden leads the team with nine goals at home, while Laila Edwards has recorded three power-play goals at home.



 

4. TEDDY TOSS

Get ready for the first-ever Women's Hockey Teddy Toss, presented by BMO, on Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m. as the Wisconsin women's hockey team takes on St. Cloud State. 

The season of giving extends into the new year as the women's hockey team prepares to host its first-ever teddy bear toss presented by BMO to provide teddy bear gifts to local, underprivileged children here in Dane County.

Fans are encouraged to bring new/gently used teddy bears and stuffed animals to throw onto the ice after the game. All items will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Madison.

It would help if you bagged every stuffed bear to throw them onto the ice. Teddy Bear bagging stations are at each gate entrance of LaBahn Arena. Tickets are available on SeatGeek.

 

5. AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE

The Badgers have won 18 straight against the Mavericks. They haven’t lost a home game to Minnesota State since March 1, 2014. Wisconsin's overall home record against the Mavericks is 60-2-1.

In their two-game series in Mankato in December, the Badgers walked away with a 2-1 win in game one and a 5-0 shutout win in game two.

The Badgers largest margin of victory was a 9-0 victory at LaBahn Arena back in October of 2023.