1. LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers opened their season with a sweep against the Bemidji State Beavers last week. In game one, the Badgers put up nine goals against the Beavers for a 9-2 victory. Game two ended in a 5-0 shut out, the first of the season for goaltender Ava McNaughton. The Badgers collected their 100th program win against the Beavers during the series. 

The series sweep allowed the Badgers to remain No.1 in the USCHO poll. Following the Badgers are Ohio State, Minnesota, Cornell and Minnesota-Duluth - who Wisconsin faces at home on Oct. 11 and 12.

2. TOP PERFORMERS

During Friday’s game against Bemidji, sophomore Maggie Scannell recorded her first career hat trick, before adding in another goal in Saturday's game for a four-goal weekend. Fifth-year Lacey Eden and Kirsten Simms put up multi-goal games of their own, each collecting two goals and one assist in game one. Simms went on to score in game two as well.

Junior Cassie Hall had a goal in each game, with Saturday's score being particularly memorable, laying out on the ice with full-extension to knock in a rebound . Ava McNaughton also enjoyed a stellar weekend, going 2-0-0 while playing all 120 minutes and saving 12-of-the-12 shots on goal she faced during the second game of the series.

3.  FABULOUS FRESHMEN

Freshmen Charlotte Pieckenhagen and Adéla Šapovalivová each shined in their debut series, with the forwards earning both their first career goals and assists.

Pieckenhagen scored early in the third period of game one, while Šapovalivová tallied an assist off of Eden’s second goal of the night. The next day, it was Šapovalivová who opened up the scoring for UW, collecting the game-winning goal for her first career notch.

Pieckenhagen would collect an assist later on, while Minnesota native Mackenzie Jones also made her debut, going in on defense during game two.

4. AGAINST THE BEARS

Making its way to LaBahn for the first time ever on Friday are the Maine Black Bears, who've previously faced off against Wisconsin four times in the two teams' history. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 4-0-0

The Badgers last faced the Bears during a two-game series at Maine in November of last year. A trio of Badgers each put up two goals during game one. Seniors Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey and Kirsten Simms led the team to a 9-0 shutout against the Bears. The second game of the series ended in a 6-1 win. 

Maine's head coach Molly Engstrom is a former Badger and was recently inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame this fall. Engstrom is a two-time All-WCHA first team member, a 2005 Patty Kazmaier Top-Ten finalist, and a two-time Olympic medalist for Team USA. She played for the Badgers from 2001 to 2005, during which she recorded 28 goals and 57 assists as a defender.

5. A CELEBRATION OF CHAMPIONS

Friday’s home opener against the Bears not only serves as the home-season debut for the Badgers, but it will also celebrate the 2024-25 National Championship team. Prior to the game at 6:40 p.m., UW will unveil its 2024-25 Championship banner.

Wisconsin women’s hockey alumni Casey O’Brien, Katie Kotlowski, Sarah Wozniewicz and Quinn Kuntz will return from that team to be honored during the pregame ceremony.. 

Saturday's game will feature a champion as well, Badger alumni Britta Curl-Salemme will appear before the game in honor of her recent PWHL Championship with the Minnesota Frost.