Around the W: Lopušanová ties Hilary Knight with five in St. Cloud
Wisconsin's freshman scored five as the Badgers swept the WCHA's last unbeaten team, and Northeastern outshot BU 53-21 in an 8-1 rout.
The best player in college hockey this weekend was a freshman, and it wasn't close. Nela Lopušanová put five past St. Cloud State, Northeastern ran Boston University out of its own rink, and the WCHA's only unbeaten team found out what Wisconsin looks like when it's awake.
Lopušanová ties Hilary Knight
Lopušanová scored five goals and added an assist in Wisconsin's 7-2 win at St. Cloud State on Saturday. She had a natural hat trick in the first period, then two more in the third, the last one shorthanded.
Five goals ties the Wisconsin record Hilary Knight set in 2008, and she's the first Badgers freshman to do it. Only one other freshman in NCAA women's history has scored five in a game: Katie Guay, with six for Brown in 2002.
She's at 10 goals and 21 points through 10 games, tied with teammate Cassie Hall for the national lead. Ava McNaughton made 28 saves.
The W read: The Kazmaier board has a freshman on it in November, and she's earned the spot.
Wisconsin ends the Huskies' perfect start
The bigger result might be the sweep. St. Cloud State came into the weekend ninth in the USCHO poll and 6-0-0 in the WCHA. By our count from the conference standings, it left with its first two league losses: 2-1 on Friday and 7-2 on Saturday.
The W read: St. Cloud was a good story. Wisconsin is the reason good stories in this league usually end in October.
Northeastern runs over BU
No. 4 Northeastern won 8-1 at Walter Brown Arena on Friday and outshot the Terriers 53-21. Éloïse Caron had five points, the most by a Husky in a game since Maureen Murphy in 2022. BU's Mari Pietersen made 45 saves, tied for her career high, and still gave up eight. Northeastern finished the sweep 4-2 on Saturday.
The W read: Northeastern is the class of Hockey East until someone beats it, and BU isn't that someone yet.
The rest of Hockey East
Boston College, new to the poll at No. 15, swept Vermont 2-1 and 3-1. Providence won 3-1 at Maine on Friday and Maine answered 3-1 on Saturday. New Hampshire won 2-0 at Merrimack, and Merrimack won the rematch 3-2. UConn edged Holy Cross 1-0.
The W read: BC's 2-1 and 3-1 wins aren't a statement. They're a team banking points before BU and Northeastern come around.
Minnesota and Princeton keep rolling
No. 2 Minnesota swept No. 13 Minnesota Duluth in Duluth, 3-2 in overtime and 3-2 again. In the ECAC, No. 6 Princeton beat Brown 3-1 and Yale 2-1 to go 6-0-0. Yale had beaten No. 5 Quinnipiac 3-1 on Friday before Quinnipiac put eight on Brown.
The W read: Princeton hasn't played a heavyweight yet, but 6-0 means somebody has to prove it isn't one.
Next up
The Women's Worlds run Nov. 6-16, so rosters thin out. Wisconsin is off next weekend and returns Nov. 14-15 against St. Thomas. BU hosts Maine on Nov. 6 and 7, then gets Boston College home and away on Nov. 13 and 14.
