The top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers split their weekend series with the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, falling 4-1 Friday before rebounding with a 4-1 win of their own on Saturday in a top-2 battle in Madison.
Saturday
Fans knew it was going to be a heavyweight weekend within the first 15 seconds, as the Buckeyes immediately tested goalie Rhyah Stewart, who was able to make a glove save.
Soon after, Wisconsin forward Finley McCarthy broke away down the left side but shot just above the crossbar.
With 14:20 to play, Ohio State drove down towards the crease off a line change. This gave Jordyn Petrie a clean shot on Stewart's stick side, putting the Buckeyes on the board first.
Just halfway into the first period, Hall went on another breakaway, swerved around the Ohio State defense to go on another breakaway, but narrowly missed her shot. The game kept the same fast-paced momentum, but the Badgers were not able to hold the puck in the OSU zone.
Wisconsin captain Lacey Eden was called on a tripping with four minutes left to play in the period. Wisconsin’s defense pushed Ohio State to the perimeter, using their bodies to block shots. As the penalty wound down, the crease became crowded but Stewart was able to cover the puck. The Badgers killed the penalty completely in their zone.
Ticking down to the end of the period, Wisconsin forward Charlotte Pieckenhagen got called for slashing. With a one man advantage, Buckeyes forward Sloane Matthews was able to slide one in to make the score 2-0 Ohio State at the end of the first period.
The second period began with the same thunder, as Wisconsin received their first advantage in the game after OSU defender Sara Swiderski was called for tripping. The Badgers looked to set up a shot as Hall came in from center and pitched the puck forward, but MacLeod scooped it up. Just after the penalty was killed, McCarthy entered the box for tripping.
The Badgers struggled to keep passes clean throughout the period and turned the puck over in the neutral zone. Halfway through, Wisconsin went on their second power play. The Badgers struggled to set up in its zone, letting the Buckeyes push it out of the blue line.
Seconds after Wisconsin’s power play was killed, the Buckeyes went up on their own power play, as Maggie Scannell was called for tripping. Fighting for the puck, defender Laney Potter was shoved into the boards. Referees called it a minor, the call went under review for major, but the original call stood.
Both teams were four-on-four, but neither found the back of the net. Even as Wisconsin increased their shots on goal, MacLeod proved to be a wall, controlling the game for the Buckeyes.
Wisconsin’s shooting misfortunes continued four minutes into the third period, as their shots fell just wide.
It was the turnovers in the neutral that really left Wisconsin fighting, putting more pressure on Stewart and tiring out the defense.
The Badgers went on their third power play with 11:44 left to play, but those two minutes quickly scooted by. Wisconsin was called for having too many players on the ice a few minutes later, resulting in an OSU power play. Buckeyes forward Kassidy Carmichael capitalized on a rebound, giving Stewart no time to block the shot and extending OSU’s lead.
Ohio State was called for a delayed penalty with just under three minutes remaining, and during those critical seconds, defender Ava Murphy slipped a shot inside the post for Wisconsin's first goal.
The Badgers came to life after the goal, but time was against them, resulting in a 4-1 loss against the Buckeyes.
“It seemed like we weren’t ready for the aggressiveness and the speed that was thrown at us,” Johnson said.
Sunday
Wisconsin gained control early on Sunday, making for a very different start than Saturday’s game. The Badgers were aggressive, and looked primed to score on a Potter shot that was blocked by Swiderski
“We got puck possession, got the puck in the offensive zone, and just sort of set the tone of what we wanted to try to do for 60 minutes today,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said.
The Buckeyes were called for having too many players on the ice a minute later giving the Badgers the advantage. Swarming OSU’s goal, the puck came close to sliding in after forward Kelly Gorbatenko tapped it, but MacLeod was able to get a piece of it. The power play was killed but looked stronger than anything the Badgers came up with Saturday.
A few seconds later, McCarthy headed to the box for interference. Wisconsin’s power play unit was especially focused on keeping everything out to the edges, which only allowed Ohio State four shots on goal. After another killed penalty, OSU got called again for too many players on the ice, however, nothing would come from the advantage.
Wisconsin took the lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first, as Eden snipped a shot from the blue line that bounced off MacLeod and into the goal.
Ohio State had a chance to tie the game moments later, with Potter called for hooking. The Badgers killed the penalty, ending the period 1-0.
Wisconsin started the second period hot. Eden lodged a pass forward for Hall who danced around MacLeod for Wisconsin’s second goal.
After the goal, the puck bounced around for a good few minutes, not allowing either team to hold possession for long.
The Buckeyes got on the board about halfway into the period, as Ohio State set up around the crease allowing Kaia Malachino to score.
Shortly after, McCarthy skated to the box for tripping. Hall led the power play unit, knocking it out to kill the penalty. Ultimately the period ticked down, and the second period ended with Wisconsin leading 2-1.
Wisconsin was clocked for their fourth penalty five minutes into the third period, as Gorbatenko headed to the box for tripping.
But Wisconsin’s special teams unit held strong yet again, clearing it down the ice, twice running the clock.
With 7:50 remaining on a delayed penalty, Claire Enright almost tipped a shot in but MacLeod was able to scoop it up.
Halfway into Wisconsin’s power play, Eden was banged into the boards by Brooke Disher, who officially went into the box for bodychecking to give the Badgers a five-on-three advantage. Ten seconds later, Potter snipped the puck in on MacLeod’s glove side, giving Badgers a two score lead.
Still up on a one player advantage, Scannell made a pass from within the crease to McCarthy who tapped it in for the Badgers’ fourth goal.
Wisconsin’s Hannah Halverson got called for bodychecking as the game creeped towards an end. Seconds after Halverson entered the box, officials assessed a double penalty on Wisconsin’s Emma Venusio and OSU’s Mira Jungåker. The Badgers could not capitalize on the final advantage, but ran the clock down to secure their 4-1 win.
Grit and determination was the theme of the weekend in this top-ranked matchup.
“I think from the opening faceoff, we were here to play today,” Eden said. “We had that effort that we were talking about yesterday and just getting pucks into the net.”
The Badgers will head to Minnesota State-Mankato on Feb. 13 for their last away game of the regular season.
