ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine women's ice hockey team will travel to face the #1 Wisconsin Badgers for a non-conference series on Oct 3/4 at Labahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin.

FRIDAY GAME INFORMATION
DATE: Friday, Oct. 3, 2025
TIME: 7:00 P.M. (CT)
SITE: Labahn Arena

SATURDAY GAME INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
TIME: 2:00 P.M. (CT)
SITE: Labahn Arena

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BLACK BEARS' LAST TIME OUT:

• Maine most recently faced the #10 Quinnipiac Bobcats to open their season. The team put up two hard fought battles, pushing the Bobcats to OT on Saturday, but falling both nights by one goal. 
• Maine received a vote after the weekend in the national rankings USA Hockey Poll. 
• 10 different Black Bears notched at least one point in the series, and Kiia Lahtinen made 68 saves over the weekend (.907 sv %).
• Kendall Sundby (2a), Mikayla Boarder (1g), Haley Ryan (1g), Gracie Hanson (1g SH), Mackenzie Podewell (1g - first career), Isabelle Michaud (1g - first career), Lila Shea (1a), Lily Fetch (1a), Paige Fong (1a), Raegan Wurm (1a) all notched points.
• Maine is 0-for-3 on the powerplay and 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS WITH WISCONSIN

• Maine has only faced the Badgers four times, with the Badgers owning the series 4-0-0.
• Dating back to October of 2003 at Alfond Arena, Wisconsin stole both games from the Black Bears, winning 5-4 and 6-1. Head Coach Molly Engstrom was a junior defender at the time, as she tallied two assists in the two games played against Maine.
• Last season, the Badgers traveled to Maine and won 9-0 and 6-1.

SCOUTING THE #1 BADGERS: 

• The eight-time and reigning national champions have been ranked #1 since last season, when they put up a 38-1-2 record. 
• In their opening weekend on Sept 26/27, the Badgers swept Bemidji State by scores of 9-2 and 5-0.
• Five Badgers already have four points: Maggie Scannell, Kirsten Simms, Lacey Eden, Cassie Hall and Caroline Harvey.
• Scannell leads with 4 goals, as Harvey leads with 4 assists.
• Goaltender Ava McNaughton saw both games, earning two wins and making 26 saves total over the weekend.
• The team is currently 1-for-2 on the power play, and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. 

HEAD COACH ENGSTROM & TIES TO WISCONSIN:

Molly Engstrom still holds the following awards in the Badgers' Record Book:

• 9th most powerplay goals in a career...20
• 4th most powerplay goals in single season...11
• 3rd most goals scored by a defender in one season...13
• 7th most points scored by a defender during career...28-57-85
• Engstrom is the only player in school history to be honored as the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year twice in their Wisconsin career… (2004, 2005)
• Molly Engstrom played for Head Coach Mark Johnson for three years at Wisconsin, as well as on Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver where she earned the 'Best Defenseman' award.

TEAM TIES TO THE WCHA:

• Molly Engstrom not only played in the WCHA, but also coached at St. Cloud State for three seasons in 2019-2022.
• Assistant Coach McKenna Wesloh and Director of Hockey Operations, Kenna Farrey also were apart of the WCHA and the St. Cloud State team when Engstrom was there. Wesloh was a player (2018-22), while Farrey was the Director of Hockey Operations (2019-21).
• Senior captain Danielle Brunette, was a transfer from the WCHA, as she played two seasons at UMD before transferring to Maine in 2024.
• Juniors Jaidyn Britt and Julia Bachetti also transferred from the WCHA  (St. Cloud State).

LOOKING AHEAD:

• Maine starts their season with seven non-conference matchups, six games of which will be against top-10 nationally ranked teams.
• Game 1 and 2 were against #10 Quinnipiac.
• After Wisconsin, Maine heads home to face St. Anselm for a single non-conference game on Oct 10.
• After that, Maine hosts currently ranked #6/7 Colgate for a home series on Oct 17/18.

-UMaine-