Badgers women’s hockey dominates in record-breaking series sweep against Lindenwood

The No. 2/1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team (2-0-0) triumphed over the Lindenwood Lions (0-4-0) 12-0 on Friday and 8-1 on Saturday to open their 2024-25 season at LaBahn Arena. 

Record-breaking start 

It did not take long for the Badgers to take the ice as the offensive powerhouse they were last season. With just over a minute into play in the first period of the first game of the series, Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien found Laila Edwards on the left dot, who then capitalized on a power play to tee the puck into the back of the net. 

Four minutes later, within a time frame of 68 seconds, Wisconsin found the back of the net three times to bring the score up 4-0. Seniors Sarah Wozniewicz and Lacey Eden scored their first goals of the season, and freshman Maggie Scannell netted her first NCAA goal. Wisconsin had scored four goals before Lindenwood even got a shot.

And the Badgers weren’t done. Wisconsin continued to chip away at Linenwood’s goaltender Madison Bowtell, clocking in 30 shots on goal before the first period closed out. 

Amid those 30 shots, Marianne Picard, Kelly Gorbatenko and Ava Murphy were all able to find the back of the net. Assistant captain Eden snuck the puck past Bowtell and into the net for her second goal of the period. 

“I think you have to realize that you only get to play so many games of hockey, so if you're not giving it your 100% every single game, no matter what the score is, then you're really missing an opportunity,” Eden said in a press conference on Friday. “That's the perspective I like to take in every situation. It's just a chance to get better.”

Wisconsin broke the program record with eight goals scored in the first period, tying the NCAA record from when the Minnesota Golden Gophers scored eight times in the second against St. Cloud State in 2015. The Badgers’ first-period performance was reminiscent of last season’s matchup against Lindenwood, where they scored seven times in a period in their 16-1 win over the Lions. 

“It was time to play, you could see in the first 10 minutes, you could see the excitement from everybody,” head coach Mark Johnson said. 

The Badgers continued to pick away at the Lions as the game progressed, scoring four more goals alongside a shutout from goaltenders Ava McNaughton and freshman Chloe Baker to triumph 12-0 over the Lions. 

Badgers seal a sweep

Wisconsin returned to the ice on Saturday to close out their series against Lindenwood.

Period one saw Wisconsin hack away at Lindenwood goaltender Anna LaRose, badgering the Lion with 43 shots and 19 on goal. Unlike their performance the previous night, the Badgers had a harder time finding their way through the Lindenwood defense.

The Badgers found the lone goal of the period coming off the power play after Lindenwood forward Morgan Neitzke entered the penalty box for slashing. Wisconsin went co-captain to co-captain as Caroline Harvey darted the puck through the Lindenwood defense to Casey O’Brien, who redirected it into the net. 

In the second period, Eden notched her third goal of the season after breaking past the Lindenwood defensive line to go one-on-one with LaRose and striking the puck into the top corner of the net. 

Lindenwood’s Zsofia Pazmandi broke the scoring drought for the Lions, finding the gap in McNaughton’s fortification to put the Lions on the board three minutes into the period.  

But the Badgers bounced back. Picard matched Eden’s earlier tempo with an unassisted breakaway, notching a third goal for the Badgers. The redshirt junior scored once more before the Badgers closed out the game 8-1. 

"It feels good to get a few goals under my belt,” Picard said. “It boosts the confidence for sure, especially the whole team. So I think we're ready for Boston College next weekend."

The Badgers will head to Chestnut Hill for their first series on the road to take on the Boston College Eagles on Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. 

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