Nela Lopušanová records seven points for Wisconsin hockey

Slovak ice hockey forward Nela Lopušanová recorded two goals and five assists across a weekend series for the University of Wisconsin against Minnesota State, moving into third place in overall league scoring as a freshman.

Scoring Explosion Against Minnesota State

Lopušanová delivered a seven-point weekend during Wisconsin’s back-to-back victories over Minnesota State. In Friday’s 5-1 win, the game did not develop as straightforwardly as the final score suggested, as the home side opened the scoring in the first period before Minnesota tied it at 1-1 in the second. She opened with an assist on Charlotte Pieckenhagen’s goal in the 14th minute of the first period. She later added two assists on goals by Laney Potter and Cassie Hall before scoring at the 55-minute mark following passes from Hall and Madelyn Kimbrel to finish with four points, alongside two plus-minus rating points.

The following day, in a 12-1 rout where Wisconsin decided the outcome in the opening frame by building a 4-0 lead after twenty minutes, Lopušanová scored at the 13th minute of the opening period, just 29 seconds after Rosalie Tremblay opened the scoring. She added two more assists in the second and third periods—one on Hall’s goal for a 6-0 lead and another on a power-play marker by Potter to make it 7-0—to wrap up the two-game set with seven total points built on two goals and five assists.

Freshman Standing in National Scoring

Her average is 1.88 points per game, placing her third in the entire league’s scoring race behind players who are three years older. Among 18-year-old peers, her production holds a four-point lead over the next highest scorer.

The Wisconsin Program and Coaching Heritage

Lopušanová arrived at Wisconsin following three seasons at a high school in North America, selecting the Badgers from numerous collegiate offers as it represents the most successful women’s university hockey team with no currently better squad to play in. She skates under head coach Mark Johnson, who was the top scorer for the US team at the 1980 Winter Olympics and a key figure in their victory over the Soviet Union.

Johnson has directed the Wisconsin women’s program since 2002, capturing seven national titles, including five over the last seven years, following an earlier stint as an assistant coach for the men’s team from 1996 to 2002.

Badgers continue their season with the goal of fighting for the top positions.

Unconventional Celebration

Following one of the matches, Lopušanová tried out an unusual celebration by running toward the boards and knocking down a pyramid made of beer cans.

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