The No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers fell to the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in an intense battle that came to a thrilling end in the third period, as Ohio State scored two in a row to capture the WCHA championship.
The first period of the WCHA championship game proved why these two teams are ranked as the best in the conference. Both the Badgers and Buckeyes came out with a lot of speed, forcing the puck to bounce from one zone to the other.
The first four minutes were dominated by defensive shifts and who controlled the neutral zone. Neither team was able to set up, so when Kirsten Simms forced a turnover it seemed like Wisconsin would get a chance against goalie Hailey MacLeod. Simms, however, couldn’t find an open lane.
With 14 minutes left in the first, Adéla Šapovalivoa broke away on a one-on-one but MacLeod made the save.
Minutes later, Ohio State put pressure on McNaughton, who made a crucial save after being knocked down on her back. McNaughton received help from the defensive line who were able to clear it out of the crease.
Halfway through the period, Finely McCarthy broke down the ice, but a good recovery by the Ohio State defense didn’t let McCarthy get a powerful shot on goal.
McNaughton was once again knocked down in the crease, but prevented the Buckeyes from finding the back of the net by elongating her stick to stop a tight shot by the post.
Without any penalties in the first period, neither team gained an advantage, making the defensive units critical. Ultimately, the period went scoreless going into the second.
To start the second period, the Badgers were able to settle in Ohio State's zone. But bad turnovers at the blue line led to the Buckeyes getting some zone time of their own.
With 16:22 to play, Ohio State gained the first advantage of the game as McCarthy got called for slashing. Wisconsin’s power play unit, one of the best in the country, proved why during this two minute stretch. Joy Dunne tried to circle around Wisconsin to get the defense centered, but the Badgers read the play. The power play was almost over when Ohio State thought they scored, but they had pushed McNaughton in goal resulting in no points. For the majority of the power play, defense unit Vivian Jungles and Harvey both made critical plays.
With 10:28 to play, McNaughton made a rebound save to keep the score board 0-0.
Toward the end of the period, Wisconsin caught a break with a power-play opportunity. However, nothing came from it, and the second period ended scoreless.
The third period saw both teams turn their game around, eager to capture the WCHA title. The Badgers had an early power play but could barely keep possession in the Ohio State zone, playing defense for the majority of the two minutes.
Shortly after, it was the Buckeyes with the power play. The Badgers were able to kill it, spending the whole time in their zone.
Kelly Gorbatenko set up Lacey Eden with 10:02 remaining, who made the short sided goal. Ohio State responded five minutes later, as Hilda Svenson sniped one in from the right side.
With a tied game and the championship hanging in the balance, both teams turned up the intensity. With a bounce past McNaughton, Jordan Baxter put Ohio State on top. The Badgers were unable to come up with a response before the final horn, losing 2-1.
Wisconsin will now look to go back-to-back in the NCAA tournament, starting play Saturday against Quinnipiac.
