Last Updated 6:47 PM, October 18, 2025
Torin Smith

Wisconsin wins the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker tournament

Share
Full OT of Wisconsin-Ohio State 2025 Women's Frozen Four title game
9:42
PINNED 9:15 pm, October 13, 2025

📅 Schedule, how to watch the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker

Union will host No. 1 Wisconsin, Vermont and Saint Anselm for the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker tournament at M&T Bank Center in Schenectady, New York from Oct. 17-18.

Here is the full schedule and how to watch each game from the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker. All times ET:

Friday, Oct. 17

Saturday, Oct. 18

  • Game 3 (Consolation game):  Vermont 3, Saint Anselm 1
    • 🥉Vermont takes third place
  • Game 4 (Championship game): No. 1 Wisconsin 4, Union 0
    • 🏆 Wisconsin wins the Ice Breaker
9:40 pm, October 18, 2025

🏆 Wisconsin wins the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker

Wisconsin wins the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker

No. 1 Wisconsin wins the 2025 Women's Ice Breaker, defeating host Union, 4-0 in the championship game.

The Badgers dominated in terms of possession, outshooting the Garnet Chargers, 54-15. Cassie Hall got the scoring started in the first period, ripping one top shelf on the powerplay for her third goal of the tournament.

In the second period, Kelly Gorbatenko scored her third of the weekend on a nifty passing play to extend the lead to two, then Lacey Eden sniped one from the top of the circle to make it a three-goal lead.

It didn't take long for the Badgers to get on the board in the third period, as Eden scored her second of the game just 40 seconds into the final frame.

Wisconsin improves to 8-0-0 on the season, while Union falls to 4-2-2. It was an exciting weekend of women's hockey in a beautiful new Union venue in Schenectady, New York.

9:31 pm, October 18, 2025

👀 Wisconsin is eyeing the title | 3rd — 5:00

With a four-goal lead in the third, Wisconsin is just five minutes away from securing the Ice Breaker championship.

The Badgers have controlled play throughout the third period, leading 15-1 in shots so far in the frame.

9:12 pm, October 18, 2025

🚨 40 seconds in, 4-0 Badgers! UW 4, UNI 0 | 3rd — 19:20

Lacey Eden gets her second goal of the game, scoring on the first shot of the period just 40 seconds in. A seeing-eye shot from the outside hashmark somehow finds its way through traffic and into the back of the net.

8:55 pm, October 18, 2025

Badgers up 3️⃣ after 40 | UW 3, UNI 0

The Badgers are all over the Garnet Chargers in this one, but they only take a three-goal lead into the locker room after 40 minutes.

Kelly Gorbatenko scored her third goal of the Ice Breaker to start the second period on a gorgeous passing play that gave her a tap-in on the backdoor.

Later in the frame, Lacey Eden walked into the offensive zone untouched and ripped one top shelf to extend the lead to three

Wisconsin leads by a mile in the shot department, 35-9. Despite the difference in shots, Union is holding strong and is still just a couple bounces away from being right back in this championship game.

20 more minutes until we have an Ice Breaker champion.

8:46 pm, October 18, 2025

🎯 Badger SNIPE! UW 3, UNI 0 | 2nd — 7:22

Lacey Eden weaves through the Union defense and picks the corner for her fifth goal of the season, extending the Badgers' lead to three in the second period.

8:32 pm, October 18, 2025

🦡 Badgers get another! UW 2, UNI 0 | 2nd — 14:39

Wisconsin started the period by killing the remainder of a penalty that carried over from the first. Then the Badgers got to work, and Caroline Harvey found Kelly Gorbatenko on the backdoor for her third goal of the weekend.

8:08 pm, October 18, 2025

Badgers on 🔝 after 20 | UW 1, UNI 0

Wisconsin leads Union, 1-0, after the first 20 minutes in Schenectady.

Cassie Hall got her eighth goal in as many games with a powerplay snipe early in the period to give the Badgers the lead.

Union G Monja Wagner was excellent in the first period, stopping 20 of 21 shots she faced from this dangerous Wisconsin offense. Union was only able to muster six shots in the period, despite getting a powerplay chance.

7:47 pm, October 18, 2025

🚨 Wisconsin scores first! UW 1, UNI 0 | 1st — 15:15

Who else but Cassie Hall? The Badgers get the party started early as Hall snipes one top shelf on the powerplay for her third goal of the weekend.

7:38 pm, October 18, 2025

🤨 Weird start to the championship | 1st — 20:00

Oddly enough, the Ice Breaker championship will start four-on-four, as both teams were assessed a minor procedural penalty for being late to warmups.
7:13 pm, October 18, 2025

⏰ Countdown to the championship | No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Union, 3:37 p.m.

Union vs. Wisconsin in the Women's Ice Breaker championship

It's almost time—No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Union for the Ice Breaker title.

Wisconsin handled Vermont yesterday, piling up 47 shots in an 8-1 win. The Badgers' elite offense was on display all game, led by Caroline Harvey, Kelly Gorbatenko and Cassie Hall, each scoring twice. Starting 7-0 on the season, Wisconsin has shown us why they are the undisputed No. 1, but can they keep rolling against Union?

Union was firing on al cylinders against Saint Anselm yesterday, as it carried a 6-0 lead late into the third period. But the wheels started to fall off toward the end of the game as the Garnet Chargers allowed five goals in the final eight minutes of the game. Union was able to hold on, winning 7-5, but not without a struggle. Can Union hold off the high-powered scorers of the Badgers?

All will be answered in the Ice Breaker championship game. Puckdrop is set for 3:37 p.m. Follow along here on NCAA.com for live updates, scores and highlights throughout the game.

6:47 pm, October 18, 2025

❤️ Union vs. Wisconsin: A family affair

Union's Courtney Hall and Wisconsin's Cassie Hall

If you’re a Wisconsin fan, you are very familiar with the name Cassie Hall. She's one of the nation’s top goalscorers, sitting third in the country with seven goals in her first seven games this season. Her two goals in yesterday’s game against Vermont helped lift the Badgers to an 8-1 win and secured a spot in the Ice Breaker championship game: 

 

But she isn’t the only member of the Hall family in today’s Ice Breaker championship. Cassie’s sister, Courtney, will be behind the opposing bench for the Garnet Chargers.

Courtney Hall is in her second season as an assistant coach at Union. She was part of the coaching staff that led the Garnet Chargers to their most wins in program history last season (13), their first-ever postseason win and their first win over a top-10 opponent against No. 9 Cornell last November. 

Cassie Hall on playing against her sister: 

“It's going to be a very special weekend. My whole family is going to be there. It’s always something really special to get to play against her. I looked up to Courtney my whole life, so to have her as a coach and me as a player is something special." (from uwbadgers.com). 

Courtney was a four-year player for St. Cloud State from 2019-2023, where she skated in 86 games, scoring nine goals and 20 assists for 29 career points. 

6:12 pm, October 18, 2025

🥉 Vermont defeats Saint Anselm to take third place in the Ice Breaker

Vermont takes down Saint Anselm, 3-1, to earn its second win of the year and secure third place at the Ice Breaker. The Catamounts opened the scoring in the first period as Stella Retrum scored her second of the tournament with a snipe over the goaltender's shoulder.

Julia Mesplede doubled the lead in the second period with a one-timer off a slick saucer pass from Darci Matson.

The Catamounts added the insurance marker late in the third after a surge from Saint Anselm as Rose-Marie Brochu found Oona Havana on the backdoor for the tap-in to seal the game.

Vermont finished the game with a season-high 41 shots and held the Hawks to just 15. Saint Anselm goaltender Kayla Czukowski made 38 saves for a .927 SV% in the loss.

6:06 pm, October 18, 2025

🚨 Vermont extends the lead! UVM 3, STA 1 | 3rd — 5:16

Oona Havana adds the insurance goal for the Catamounts as Rose-Marie Brochu finds her on the backdoor for the tap-in to extend the lead to two late in the third.

6:01 pm, October 18, 2025

🚫 Zoe Cliche shuts it down | 3rd — 6:01

We've got a goaltending battle in Schenectady. Zoe Cliche has stopped 12 of 13 shots she has faced, including this 2-on-1 chance to keep Vermont in front.

5:26 pm, October 18, 2025

Vermont still leads after 2️⃣ | UVM 2, STA 1

Vermont came out strong again in the second period, scoring an early goal on a beautiful feed and one-timer from Darci Matson to Julie Mesplede.

Saint Anselm didn't give up though, as Kismet Dogan made an all-out individual effort to get her first goal of the year and cut the Vermont lead to one.

Second period shot totals were 13-7 in favor of Vermont. Saint Anselm goaltender Kayla Czukoski is having an impressive outing, stopping 24 of 26 so far. Third period action is coming up.