The Wisconsin women’s hockey team didn’t just hang another championship banner on October 1. They followed it up by schooling Boston University with a dominant 7-0 victory in their home opener at LaBahn Arena. It was a statement game, showing everyone exactly what this squad is made of, especially with a target on their backs as back-to-back champions.
Early Jitters? Nah, Just Getting Warmed Up
Listen, coach Mark Johnson was right to be a little worried going into this one. After all those festivities and distractions for the banner ceremony, he wasn’t sure what he’d get. “A lot of festivities, lot of distractions, things like that,” he said. The first period was definitely ragged, showing some of those early season kinks that Johnson knows are a “common theme every year at this time,” especially with a “younger-type roster.” But whatever he said in the locker room after that first frame lit a fire because the Badgers came on strong, burying six goals in the second period alone! Talk about flipping a switch. They’re now sitting pretty at 3-0 on the season, while the Terriers are still looking for their first win at 0-1.
The Future Is NOW: Freshmen Stealing the Show
If you blinked, you probably missed something amazing from one of the freshmen. Nela Lopušanová, the left wing from Slovakia, was an absolute menace in the second period, racking up two goals and an assist. This kid already had two assists in the season opener against St. Lawrence, so she’s making a habit of it. Coach Johnson didn’t hold back, saying, “She’ll pull you out of your seat, so keep an eye on her.” Then there’s Canadian center Rosalie Tremblay, who notched her second goal of the season and added two assists. Johnson called her “impressive” for how comfortable she looks so early. “She’s a real good 200-foot player, smart, and she’s going to be a lot of fun to watch and help,” he added. Tremblay herself was buzzing, “I was never expecting that much noise. Like, how big we are for the city, it’s amazing to see, and we want to do it for them and today, winning 7-0, I’m pretty happy we did that for them.” The veterans showed up big too, with junior right wings Maggie Scannell (one goal, two assists) and Hannah Halverson (three assists) both having three-point nights.
Ava McNaughton Is Back and She Didn’t Miss a Beat
The biggest sigh of relief, though? Seeing Ava McNaughton back between the pipes. This is the goalie who was player of the year two seasons ago, an Olympic gold medalist, and a key contributor to UW’s eighth and ninth titles. She had a lower body injury in the opener and sat out the second game (which was planned, injury or not), but she returned to practice this week and looked sharp as ever. She ended the night with 22 saves, even though she only saw four shots in the first period. Johnson noted, “There were a couple flurries in the third period, which were good. She got tested, she had to make a couple nice saves. She was aggressive on them, and the pucks were hitting her in the ‘W’ [on her jersey] and so that’s always a good indication that she’s in tune to what’s going on.”
Can this young, talented squad keep up this level of play? They get their chance right away with a rematch against Boston University today at 5 p.m. We’re all watching to see if these freshmen can keep pulling fans out of their seats.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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