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No. 3 Gophers Host No. 1 Badgers in Top-Ranked Clash
1/29/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team hosts top-ranked Wisconsin to Ridder Arena for a marquee two-game matchup this weekend. The Gophers and Badgers open the series on Friday, Jan. 30 at 6:00 p.m. CT before closing the series Saturday, Jan. 31 with a 2:00 p.m. CT puck drop. All the action will stream live on B1G+. Saturday's contest will serve as Minnesota's annual Gold Out game. All fans in attendance will receive a free gold rally towel courtesy of Affinity Plus, while students will also receive a gold t-shirt.
TRAVEL / PARKING ADVISORY
Due to multiple events happening on the University of Minnesota campus both Friday and Saturday, fans attending the game are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance by clicking HERE, while limited valet parking is available in advance HERE. For individuals arriving without a parking pass, it is recommended to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium (Gold, Victory, Ski-U-Mah lots).
#3 Minnesota Gophers (22-4-0, 14-4-0 WCHA) vs #1 Wisconsin Badgers (23-1-2, 17-1-2 WCHA)
Date: Jan. 30, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Ridder Arena
#3 Minnesota Gophers (22-4-0, 14-4-0 WCHA) vs #1 Wisconsin Badgers (23-1-2, 17-1-2 WCHA)
Date: Jan. 31, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Ridder Arena
Last Time Out
Minnesota enters the weekend fresh off a series sweep of then No. 15/14 St. Cloud State. The Gophers exploded for seven second-period goals in an 8-1 win Friday in St. Cloud before returning home for a 5-1 victory Saturday at Ridder Arena. With the sweep, Minnesota remains unbeaten in the 2026 calendar year and extends its winning streak to 10 consecutive games.
Scouting the Badgers
Wisconsin comes to Minneapolis after a dominant two-game sweep of Bemidji State at LaBahn Arena. The Badgers earned a 10-3 win Friday before completing the sweep with a 6-1 victory Saturday. Wisconsin leads the nation in total goals scored (147), narrowly edging Minnesota (146). The Badgers will send five student-athletes to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, including three of their top four point producers and their starting goaltender. Fifth-year forward Lacey Eden leads all Wisconsin skaters remaining stateside with 49 points (19g, 30a), followed by juniors Cassie Hall (16g, 15a) and Kelly Gorbatenko (12g, 18a). With Ava McNaughton away with Team USA, freshman Ryah Stewart has seen increased time in net, posting a .929 save percentage and a 1.26 goals-against average in seven appearances, including one start. Head coach Mark Johnson is in his 23rd season behind the Badger bench and owns a career record of 690-121-57.
Inside the Series
The Gophers and Badgers will meet for the 135th and 136th times this weekend. The all-time series is deadlocked at 59-59-16. Earlier this season, the rivals split a series at LaBahn Arena, with Minnesota earning a 5-1 win before Wisconsin responded with a 7-2 victory.
Murphy Milestones
Graduate forward Abbey Murphy continues her climb up the Minnesota record books. Murphy is tied for first all-time in program history with 139 career goals and ranks second in career points (253). She now also holds the program record for game-winning goals (24) and tied the single-game program record with seven points earlier this season.
Gophers on the Olympic Stage
Minnesota will be without four skaters this weekend due to Olympic participation. Nelli Laitinen (FIN), Abbey Murphy (USA), and Josefin Bouveng (SWE) are each making their second Olympic appearances, while Tereza Plosová (CZE) is set to make her Olympic debut. This series marks the first games the quartet will miss during the 2026 Winter Games.
Top Offenses Collide
Minnesota enters the weekend as the No. 2 scoring offense in the nation with 146 goals, trailing only Wisconsin. The Gophers rank second nationally in goals, assists (249), points (398), and scoring offense (5.62 goals per game).
Balanced Attack
Scoring depth has been a hallmark of Minnesota's success, with six skaters recording 10 or more goals and 10 players tallying at least 20 points on the season.
Winning the Margins
Minnesota ranks second nationally in scoring margin, outscoring opponents 147-53 and winning games by an average of 3.58 goals.
Blue Line Production
With Laitinen away at the Olympics, Minnesota's blue line will continue to produce. Sydney Morrow ranks fourth nationally among defenders in points (27), fifth in goals (7), and third in assists (20), while Chloe Primerano also sits inside the top 10 with 20 points this season.
Freshman Phenom
Bella Fanale has shined in her first collegiate season, centering Minnesota's top line. She ranks second among all freshmen with 15 goals and fifth in freshman scoring with 29 points.
Strong Between the Pipes
Minnesota features one of the nation's top goaltending tandems. Sophomore Hannah Clark ranks 13th nationally in goals-against average (1.93), 22nd in save percentage (.927), and is tied for 12th with three shutouts. Freshman Layla Hemp ranks third among first-year goaltenders in goals-against average (1.93) and sixth in save percentage (.918).
Special Teams Success
Minnesota ranks fourth nationally on the power play (.319) and seventh in total power-play goals (23).
National Recognition
Minnesota remains the No. 3 team in the nation for the seventh consecutive week.
Frost Finds 550
Head coach Brad Frost ranks fourth all-time among NCAA women's hockey coaches with 550 career victories.
Behind the Bench
Frost enters his 19th season leading the Gophers with a career record of 550-125-42, four national championships, and seven conference titles. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coach Mitch Baker, and assistant coach/general manager Jessica Scott also return to the staff.
Quest for Eight
Minnesota continues its pursuit of an eighth national championship, having already claimed seven titles (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).