1. LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers scored 17 goals in their two-game sweep of St. Thomas on Jan. 17 and 18. They totaled four power-play goals across both game are averaging 1.25 power-play goals a game in their last eight games played.

Casey O’Brien and Cassie Hall both recorded two goals in Wisconsin 6-1 victory in game one of the series. Edwards scored one goal in the game and went on to score four more in the Badgers 11-1 victory on Sunday. O’Brien added her third goal of the weekend and Hall added two more for a total of four on the weekend. 

Blueliner Ava Murphy notched a goal and an assist on Saturday and added three more points with three assists on Sunday. Wisconsin’s 11 goal victory on Sunday is the second-most goals for the Badgers all season since they opened the year with a 12-0 victory over Lindenwood.

2. TEDDY TOSS PRESENTED BY BMO
The women’s hockey team is set to host their first-ever Teddy Toss during Saturday’s game against St. Cloud State. 

The season of giving extends into the new year as the women's hockey team prepares to host its first-ever teddy bear toss presented by BMO to provide teddy bear gifts to local, underprivileged children here in Dane County.

Fans are encouraged to bring new teddy bears and stuffed animals to throw onto the ice after the game. All items will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Madison.

It would help if you bagged every stuffed bear to throw them onto the ice. Teddy Bear bagging stations are at each gate entrance of LaBahn Arena.

3. MURPY, EDWARDS EARN RECOGNITION

Laila Edwards and sophomore Ava Murphy both took home WCHA weekly honors after putting together noteworthy perfromances in the series against St. Thomas.

Edwards was named the WCHA Forward of the Week for the second time this season while Murphy earned her first WCHA Defender of the Week honor. 

A native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Edwards led all WCHA skaters with nine points over the weekend and her five goals also paced all league skaters. The winger posted a goal and three assists in UW's 6-1 win on Friday before adding four tallies and an assist in UW's 11-1 triumph on Saturday. She became the first Badger since the 2021-22 season to record a natural hat trick and the eighth player in school history to record four or more goals in a single contest. 

Murphy paced all WCHA defenders with five points over the weekend and also led all skaters with a +8 plus/minus rating. She scored her second goal of the season and added an assist in Friday's win before collecting three assists in UW's triumph on Saturday. The Kitchener, Ontario, native now has four multi-point games on the season after her career weekend. 
 

4. AGAINST ST. CLOUD

Wisconsin leads the all-time series against St. Cloud 98-9-3  and the Badgers lead the home series against the Huskies 52-4-0. The Badgers are looking to compelte the season sweep after defeating the Huskies 6-0 and 4-0 when the teams met in St. Cloud, Minnesota, earlier this season on Nov. 1 and 2. Sophomore netminder Ava McNaughton posted shutouts in both games. 

St. Cloud State has a Badger legend on their bench in associate head coach  Jinelle (Zaugg) Siergiej. Siergiej scored one of the most memorable goals in school history against Harvard in the 2007 NCAA Tournament and was a two-time NCAA champion during her time at UW.

St. Cloud State head coach Brian Idalski was coached by Badger bench boss Mark Johnson during the 1995-96 season while Johnson was coaching the Madison Monsters, along with current SCSU men’s hockey head coach Brett LarsonTheir largest margin of victory was a 9-1 win — a feat they’ve repeated twice, most recently in March of 2024. 

5. HOME COOKING

Badgers fiercely defend their den, and Wisconsin has proven it — the team has built up a perfect 11-0-0 record through 11 home games so far this season. 

Wisconsin has won every home game this season, with their smallest margin being two goals on a couple of occasions, most recently during a 3-1 victory over Minnesota State on Jan. 12. Their largest margin of victory this season was 12-0 win to start the season against Lindenwood.

The Badgers have scored a power-play goal in 10 of their 11 home games, all while only conceding one goal on the penalty kill. 

They've never conceded more than three goals at home this season, that coming in a 7-3 win over Minnesota Duluth on October 13.