3 stars in Wisconsin women's hockey 5-1 win over Mercyhurst
Wisconsin women's hockey captain Caroline Harvey set an all-time WCHA conference record at the Smashville Showcase
Only two head coaches in the history of NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey have ever eclipsed 600 total wins, and they were behind opposing benches on Saturday. Wisconsin women’s hockey head coach Mark Johnson got the better of Mike Sisti’s Mercyhurst Lakers at the Smashville Showcase. Sisti reached the 600 mark the day prior with a win over the Stonehill Skyhawks, but his Lakers remain winless in 14 tries all-time against Johnson’s Badgers.
It has been a weekend for record-making in Nashville. Wisconsin (15-1-1, 10-1-1 WCHA) dominated throughout Saturday’s matchup, outshooting Mercyhurst 61-16. The Badgers set a new season-high in shots on goal, and the 45-shot margin is their widest against any opponent since earning a 61-13 edge against the Boston College Eagles on October 5th, 2024.
Nobody contributed more to that margin than UW captain Caroline “KK” Harvey, who tallied a game-high nine shots on goal. For her efforts, the defender toppled a WCHA conference record that has stood for over two decades.
3rd Star: Caroline Harvey
Just over eight minutes into the first period, Badgers forward Lacey Eden redirected a hard shot by Harvey from the point, giving Wisconsin an early 1-0 lead. Harvey’s assist on the go-ahead goal came with historic significance, as it gave her 168 career points, more than any other defender in WCHA history.
The New Hampshire native added two more assists throughout the afternoon, creating some separation between herself and previous record-holder Ronda Curtin. From 1999 to 2003, Curtin helped the Minnesota Golden Gophers capture two conference regular-season titles, a conference tournament championship, and Minnesota’s first national title.
In an era where long-standing volume scoring stats seem to be falling left and right due to players having bonus pandemic-related eligibility or otherwise receiving more redshirt waivers than ever, Harvey broke the record the old-fashioned way. The dynamic two-way threat is only in her fourth season at Wisconsin, and, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will be her last.
“I would just say to our fans, you enjoy it. Because there’s not many KKs that have come through here and done what she’s been able to do,” Johnson said in a preseason interview. “And the enjoyment that we, not as coaches, but our fans get to watch her play, so let’s make sure we enjoy it, and she stays healthy, and has a very, very special year.”
The Preseason WCHA Player of the Year is on pace for that “very, very special year.” She currently leads the country in scoring with 33 points and is one of only four players nationally tallying at least 1.9 points per game.
2nd Star: Kirsten Simms
Along with Harvey’s primary assist on the first goal of the game, Simms logged the secondary helper. The two-time first-team All-American added another assist on a goal by Adéla Šapovalivová before scoring a goal of her own. Simms’ second-period power-play goal put the cherry on top of a stretch where the Badgers scored three times in 5:15, extending the lead out to 5-0 before the third.
That comfortable lead allowed Johnson to make a change at goaltender in the third period. After Ava McNaughton stopped all eight shots she faced, senior Chloe Baker made her season debut, matching her career-high with seven saves.
Despite missing two games due to injury, Simms ranks 6th in the country in scoring with 10 goals and 18 assists. After becoming the eighth Wisconsin women’s hockey player to eclipse 200-career points, she continues her climb up the record book. The Michigan native is up to 207 points during her time with the Badgers, just surpassing Annie Pankowski’s 206 for the seventh-most all-time.
1st Star: Lacey Eden
A ninth member of the 200-point club may soon join Simms. Eden added not just one, but two goals, along with two assists, to lead all scorers with four points. Her second four-point performance in three games has Eden up to 197 career points and on the doorstep of joining her linemate with 200.
Tallying 1.65 points per game, the fifth-year senior is enjoying the most productive season of her career. As impressive as Eden has been during her time with the Badgers, she has been overshadowed at times by the likes of other stars like Harvey, Simms, Laila Edwards, and Casey O’Brien.
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