Wisconsin Badgers
30-3-2, 24-3-2
Bemidji State
6-26-3, 3-25-1
No. 1 Badgers best Bemidji State in first game of WCHA playoffs
February 27, 2026 | Women's Hockey
Wisconsin achieves 7-0 shutout over Beavers
MADISON, Wis. — The No. 1 Wisconsin women's hockey team (30-3-2, 24-3-2) surged past the Bemidji State Beavers in game one of the WCHA First Round, collecting a 7-0 win.
Five Badgers had a multi-point game to lead UW to its first playoff victory of the season. This included the four skaters making their return to LaBahn after the 2026 Winter Olympics, with freshman Adéla Šapovalivová scoring two goals, and Caroline Harvey collecting three assists.
Just two minutes later, it was Cassie Hall's turn to show off the speed, finding the back of the net on a breakaway with Lacey Eden.
Šapovalivová made her return to LaBahn by scoring UW's third goal of the period during a Badger powerplay.
Kirsten Simms returned to the ice after her Olympic hiatus as well, wasting no time with a goal of her own to open the second period.
The Badgers didn't stop there, as sophomore Maggie Scannell made it 5-0 off an assist from Marianne Picard.
Šapovalivová gathered her second goal after receiving the puck from senior alternate captain Laila Edwards.
With just 6.7 seconds remaining in the second period, Edwards made it 7-0 and scored the game winning goal.
The Badgers outshot the Beavers 50-19 and goaltender Ava McNaughton recorded 19 saves with a shutout.
Notes to Know
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Wisconsin now has nine shutouts on the season, while McNaughton has seven individually.
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Adéla Šapovalivová recorded her first career multi-goal game.
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Kirsten Simms is now four goals away from becoming the fifth Badger with 100+ career goals.
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Caroline Harvey is now six points away from becoming the 10th Badger with 200+ career points.
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Goaltender Ava McNaughton recorded an assist on Laney Potter's goal. It's the third assist in her career, and Wisconsin's first goalie assist since McNaughton recorded one against St. Cloud State on 11/2/24.
Head Coach Mark Johnson
On tonight's game:
"The kids were fired up to play, obviously it's a new season. Very impressed with the way we came out with energy and speed and the offense was all time."
On the return of the Olympians:
"The big thing is trying to get everybody on the same page and play them together, pushing in the same direction. For most of the game it was pretty good. I mixed up the lines a little bit in the 3rd period to give us more balanced lines and concentrate. I thought our work ethic in the 3rd was pretty good and it showed within the game."
Ava McNaughton
On her first game back from the Olympics:
"It's nice, especially after odd minutes and odd practice times in Milan. It was nice to step right back into it and get into the playoff flow and know that I'm confident in net. I'm back like I never left. Definitely great to have a great game regardless, whether a shutout or not. I felt good in the net, so it was a good start to play out from."
Adéla Šapovalivová
On the team's start:
"I think we started pretty good. We scored a few goals in the first 10 minutes. I think we lead the game with our tempo, and we didn't let them do anything, so it was good for us"
Up Next: The Badgers face the Beavers again tomorrow at 3 p.m. (CT). If UW is to win the game and advance, they will head to St. Paul for the WCHA Final Faceoff next week.
