MADISON, Wisconsin. On February 22nd, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team coach, Mark Johnson, was in his hotel room in Bemidji, Minnesota, when his phone vibrated around 5:30 AM.

Jack O’Callahan, Johnson’s teammate from the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, had sent a text message to their group. Exactly 45 years prior, Team USA had achieved the ‘Miracle on Ice,’ stunning the Soviet team in the Olympic semifinals, marking one of the biggest upsets in sports history. O’Callahan, having spare time after dropping off his family at the airport, was reflecting on the moment that would forever unite those young athletes.

‘Oh my gosh, it’s long,’ Johnson commented on O’Callahan’s text, who scored two goals in the 4-3 victory against the Soviets. ‘But it’s enjoyable, fun, meaningful, and impactful. It always brings a smile to your face. Then you realize the number – 45 years, that’s a long time ago.’

Johnson is 67, a lifetime away from the Miracle. On February 25th, he arrived at LaBahn Arena wearing a hospital visitor sticker on his shirt. Earlier that morning, he had visited his daughter, Mikayla, who had given birth to a son, Johnson’s ninth grandchild.

More than most, Johnson understands why some teams are remembered while others are forgotten. If Team USA hadn’t defeated the Soviets and won the gold, they wouldn’t be so revered. There wouldn’t be a ‘Miracle’ movie or legendary status for coach Herb Brooks, or players like Johnson, O’Callahan, and Mike Eruzione.

Ultimately, teams are judged by their results. Johnson’s current Wisconsin team is no exception.

If the Badgers win the NCAA tournament, which starts on Thursday and culminates with the Frozen Four in Minneapolis on March 23rd, they might be remembered as the greatest team in school history. Under Johnson, who has coached since 2002, they’ve won seven national titles. Wisconsin is the leading program in the sport. But only once have the Badgers finished a season with just one loss, back in 2006-07, and even that team had four ties. This Wisconsin team has only one loss, two ties, and 35 wins. They’ve outscored opponents 207-42 and won 24 games by four or more goals.

They utilize four lines seamlessly, boast top forwards like Casey O’Brien, Laila Edwards, and Kristen Simms, two-way talents like Edwards and Caroline ‘K.K.’ Harvey, and a strong goalie in Ava McNaughton, who has saved almost 95% of shots against her this season. Wisconsin’s roster is full of national award nominees and future Olympians. O’Brien is a favorite for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the nation’s best player, and could be Wisconsin’s first winner since Ann-Renée Desbiens in 2017.

‘I don’t think anyone fully understands how good this team is and how special this season has been,’ O’Brien stated.

However, hockey is unpredictable. An odd puck bounce or exceptional goaltending can change outcomes. The best teams don’t always win, as Wisconsin knows. The Badgers had 35-win seasons in 2015-16 and last season but didn’t win national titles.

The randomness of hockey is why Johnson wants his team to focus on intangible goals, even during a month full of significant, legacy-defining stakes.

‘I always call it playing freely,’ Johnson said. ‘It’s about getting on the ice, especially late in the season, and just being relaxed and enjoying it. If you reach that state, you usually perform at a very high individual level. And then collectively, can we achieve that as a team?’

ON THE FIRST day of preseason practice, Wisconsin assistant coach Jackie Crum observed the ice and liked what she saw. Crum, more than most, knows what great Wisconsin teams look like.

As Jackie Friesen, she played for Wisconsin from 2001 to 2005 and was an undergraduate assistant for Johnson’s first national title team in 2006. Crum has been on the bench for four national championships as a full-time assistant.

‘You look at your lineup and think, ‘Wow,” Crum said. ‘Any of these players can perform. We haven’t had this depth before.’

Even the 2023-24 team, which narrowly missed repeating as national champions after a 1-0 loss to Ohio State, rotated only 10 forwards by season’s end. Approaching the 2024-25 season, Wisconsin anticipated having four strong lines and multiple defensive pairings capable of withstanding pressure.

Games confirmed Crum’s optimism. Wisconsin began with a 12-0 win against Lindenwood and won their first seven games by four or more goals. After a comeback from a three-goal deficit to defeat Minnesota 4-3 on the road, the Badgers achieved four consecutive shutouts against Bemidji State and St. Cloud State, scoring 20 goals while conceding none.

‘When we don’t beat a team by a significant margin, it almost feels like we underperformed, a little disappointing, even if it’s still a win,’ O’Brien mentioned.

Wisconsin leads the nation in both points (576) and goals (207), while the second-ranked team has 391 points and 207 goals. The Badgers boast the top three assist leaders in the nation—O’Brien, Simms, and Harvey—with Edwards ranking fifth. They also lead in power play percentage (.361) and penalty kill percentage (.916).

Edwards is third in goals per game, and four Badgers are in the top 11. McNaughton has six more wins than any other goalie, leads the nation in goals-against average, and ranks second in save percentage (.947).

‘Many teams I’ve been on were stronger either in offense or defense, but this year, it’s like every aspect is strong,’ Edwards said. ‘We have a great power play, great penalty kill, we’re scoring, we’re enjoying it. This is truly a special team.’

Wisconsin also has non-statistical qualities that usually lead to championship runs. Eleven players remain from the last national title team, including O’Brien, who led that team with 48 points, and defenders Vivian Jungels and Harvey, who were plus-45 and plus-42 respectively. Most of the team also experienced the disappointment of last March when they were shut out in the most crucial game for only the second time all season.

There’s also experience from Team USA’s collegiate select team, which Harvey captained to a win in the Six Nations tournament in Finland last year. Seven other current Badgers played for that team, and four others played for Team Canada. Harvey also helped Team USA win a silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, and several others have extensive international hockey experience.

‘Having a mix of young and experienced players is great because we’ve been in these situations before,’ Harvey said. ‘I keep telling the younger players, ‘We’re aiming for this. Don’t be afraid. Be ready for the opportunity, no matter who it is. It could be any of you. Just make it happen.’

‘There should be no fear, only excitement.’

This fearless approach aligns with Johnson’s main goal for a team where anything less than a championship will be considered a failure.

‘They can play at a very high level,’ he said. ‘They’ve shown it internationally and here. Now, when playing well, can they play freely and not worry about failing?’

MARCH IS A busy month in women’s college hockey, with championships and individual awards. As Wisconsin pursues team titles for the WCHA and NCAA, they also face distractions from awards and potential snubs for their top roster.

‘Suddenly, they announce world championship rosters, WCHA teams, player of the year awards,’ Johnson said. ‘All these things emerge and can affect your team. ‘I should have been second-team, first-team’ – it’s all part of it. Can you manage and eliminate these distractions?’

Last week, four Wisconsin players—O’Brien, Harvey, Edwards, and Simms—were named top 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier award. The Badgers won WCHA forward of the year (O’Brien), defender of the year (Harvey), and coach of the year (Johnson) awards. Five players—Edwards, Harvey, McNaughton, Simms, and Lacey Eden—were named to Team USA for the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Czechia next month.

O’Brien admits award buzz can influence individual play and team performance. A spot on national teams is every hockey player’s dream, especially under a Team USA legend like Johnson.

However, O’Brien is confident that she and Wisconsin’s other leaders will prevent anything from derailing their team. Individual recognition is not new for the Badgers stars. Plus, they can’t control award outcomes.

‘Ultimately, none of that matters,’ O’Brien said. ‘In the Wisconsin locker room, we’re our own team with our own values. We play for each other, not for individual accolades.’

The Badgers’ extensive experience isn’t their only strength in handling recognition. This Wisconsin team celebrates everything. When reviewing game or practice footage and seeing a strong backcheck, they ‘start cheering for five minutes,’ O’Brien said.

When Paul Valukas, Wisconsin’s strength and conditioning coach, introduced a new intern to the team, the players erupted in applause.

‘We don’t know who this girl is, but everyone’s cheering,’ O’Brien said. ‘It’s just a fun environment. Any recognition feels supported by everyone.’

Wisconsin’s dominance has created few moments of real adversity, but some have occurred. After a 5-0 win at Minnesota, the Badgers trailed 3-0 the following night, midway through the second period. They scored four unanswered goals to win.

‘I didn’t see any quit,’ Crum said. ‘I felt confidence on the bench, like, ‘We’ll get the next one.”

Minnesota also challenged Wisconsin in the WCHA championship game, with neither team leading by more than a goal until the Badgers responded to a Gophers goal in the final minute to win 4-3.

Besides Minnesota, only Ohio State has truly tested Wisconsin. The Buckeyes gave the Badgers their only regulation loss back on November 16th. After a 6-0 Wisconsin victory at LaBahn Arena on January 2nd, they met again two days later at Wrigley Field in Chicago, where the temperature was 24 degrees at puck drop.

The game had three ties and two lead changes, requiring a shootout. Ohio State’s Jenna Buglioni scored the only shootout goal against McNaughton, giving the Buckeyes the extra standings point, although the game is officially a tie.

‘They’re our rival, especially at the year’s end,’ Harvey said. ‘It’s always challenging to play them and find that extra pass or shot to beat them, because the last two years have been 1-0 games, close until the end.’

Simms scored the only goal in Wisconsin’s 2023 national title win over Ohio State. Last year in Durham, New Hampshire, the Badgers had 26 shots but couldn’t score, losing to a third-period goal by the Buckeyes.

The Ohio State rivalry is personal for Edwards, who grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, but left to attend a top prep program in Rochester, New York. She followed her older sister, Chayla, a Wisconsin defender, to play for the Badgers.

‘My whole family is obsessed with Ohio State football, and I still enjoy watching their football team, but only football,’ Edwards said with a smile. ‘I always get asked, ‘Why didn’t you go there? You’re from Ohio.’ I chose the place that fit all my criteria, so being on the other side of the rivalry is just how it is. It’s funny to see Ohio as my rival.’

JOHNSON ISN’T A numbers-focused coach. He leaves that to his assistants, Crum and Dan Koch. Johnson relies on his observations from the bench.

He coaches from a player’s perspective. Johnson understands being a star, which he was at Wisconsin—helping the Badgers to the 1977 national title, earning All-America and WCHA honors—and with Team USA and in the NHL, making the 1984 All-Star Game with the Hartford Whalers. But he also understands being a fourth-liner, as he was as an NHL rookie with Pittsburgh, unsure of his NHL future.

‘I understand their mindset,’ Johnson said. ‘I help guide them because, like our 1980 team and other successful teams I’ve played on, you need everyone. Your four to eight minutes are as important as someone else’s 15 to 18 minutes. What will you do with that time? Will you embrace it and own it?’

Edwards says it’s ‘an honor’ to play for Johnson, noting that while Johnson rarely talks about his past, the players know his accomplishments. She gets chills seeing 1980 Winter Olympics memes on social media. Edwards estimates she’s watched the ‘Miracle’ movie at least 50 times. When O’Brien attended her brother Max’s senior day game at Colby College, she was asked many questions about playing for Johnson.

She and Edwards credit Johnson for not making Wisconsin about himself. He doesn’t over-coach and encourages them to use their talents within key guidelines.

‘Ultimately, he knows he’s not on the ice anymore, as much as he might wish he were,’ Edwards said. ‘We are the ones who must perform.’

The reality is Johnson enters the NCAA tournament with a talented roster and as a strong favorite—much like the 1980 Soviets, not his own 1980 team. Any win against Wisconsin, even by Ohio State, would be an upset. If the Badgers win the national title, they could be considered one of the best teams since Minnesota’s undefeated 2012-13 team—the gold standard.

Edwards believes it’s important for players to consider what this season could mean with a national championship. The freedom Johnson desires comes from not fearing failure and embracing potential greatness.

‘If this team reaches its potential, we can win every game, beat any team, and enjoy it,’ Edwards said. ‘When we play our best and work together, I don’t think anyone can defeat us.’