No. 1 ranked Wisconsin women’s hockey team faced their first defeat of the season against No. 3 Minnesota on Friday. The match took place at LaBahn Arena, where the Badgers lost 5-1. This loss puts Wisconsin’s record at 10-1-0 for the current season.
Game Overview
Wisconsin opened the scoring early in the first period. Junior forward Cassie Hall netted her 50th career goal just seven minutes into the game. She was assisted by Lacey Eden and Caroline Harvey. Hall’s impressive performance includes 11 goals in 11 games this season.
Scoring Summary
- First Period: Badgers 1, Gophers 0 (Hall goal)
- Second Period: Tied 1-1 (Gophers equalized in the final minute)
- Third Period:
- Gophers take the lead 2-1 (two minutes in)
- Gophers score three more goals, securing a 5-1 victory
Despite outshooting Minnesota 41-38, Wisconsin could not convert their scoring chances. This defeat snapped a remarkable 23-game win streak, which began in January of this year, along with a 37-game unbeaten run stretching back to November of 2024. Both of these streaks are records for the program.
Coach’s Response
Head Coach Mark Johnson expressed disappointment in the team’s response to the loss. He highlighted the importance of using this experience as a learning opportunity. Johnson emphasized that competitive teams need to quickly regroup for future matches.
Looking ahead, the Badgers will face the Gophers again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus. Coach Johnson noted that the first ten minutes will be critical in assessing how the team bounces back from this defeat.
