The No. 2 ranked University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team and No. 1 Ohio State University were on a collision course heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Both teams carried an impressive 15-game winning streaks into the weekend. The Buckeyes had previously swept UW in Columbus.
While the series would have no meaning on the WCHA standings — and was unlikely to have a meaningful impact on overall rankings — it was possible that it would serve as a preview to the WCHA Finals and a potential Frozen Four matchup.
The Badgers started the weekend with a dominant first period, but were unable to show it on the scoreboard. In that period, they outshot the Buckeyes 19-2 in shots on goal. Early in the second period, Maddi Wheeler — the senior — celebrated senior night with a goal of her own, sliding the puck past the right pad of Ohio State goaltender Raygan Kirk.
However, the Buckeyes would soon take control of the game from the Badgers. Over the course of the second and third periods, the Buckeyes had 31 shots on goal to UW’s nine. With 4:13 remaining in the second period, Ohio State senior Kiara Zanon flipped a backhanded shot over Badgers’ goaltender Jane Gervais from an awkward angle to tie the game.
About two minutes later, Makenna Webster grabbed the lead for the Buckeyes—firing a close-range shot over Gervais. An empty net goal would seal the deal as the Buckeyes took the opener 3-1.
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The Buckeyes carried their momentum into Saturday evening’s matchup. They held the Badgers to just four shots on goal. The Buckeyes’ Kenzie Hauswirth found the back of the net twice in the first period to give themselves a 2-0 advantage.
The Badgers found life in the second period when forward Casey O’Brien drove in wide open on Buckeyes’ goalkeeper Amanda Thiele — attempting to go 5-hole. Thiele lost her balance and forward Lacey Eden applied pressure — ensuring the puck found the back of the net. O’Brien was credited for the goal, her 16th of the season.
With 9:53 remaining in third period, forward Kirsten Simms guided O’Brien with a beautiful assist on the 2-on-1, which O’Brien finished from the left side to tie the game.
Just 68 seconds later, forward Laila Edwards and Simms went back-and-forth on a 2-on-1, where Edwards would bury it into the top of the net from the left side to take the lead. Edwards later iced the game with an empty net goal with eight seconds remaining, as the Badgers finished off the regular season with a 4-2 win over the No. 1 team in the country.
UW carries their momentum into the first round of the WCHA playoffs, a best-of-three series this upcoming weekend. They will play the University of St. Thomas at LaBahn Arena. The Badgers won all four games against St. Thomas this season by a combined total of 20-4. Puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 4:00 p.m. Saturday, with a possible tiebreaker matchup set up at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
