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LGHL Ohio State and Wisconsin square off in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game
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Ohio State and Wisconsin square off in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Before the NCAA Tournament starts next week, the Buckeyes and Badgers battle for the conference crown.
Minneapolis will be the setting for another epic showdown between the Ohio State women’s hockey team and the Wisconsin Badgers. Following the Badgers beating the Buckeyes 1-0 in last year’s NCAA Championship Game, Ohio State was able to take three of four regular season meetings with Wisconsin this season. These two teams are considered the best two teams in the country and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they go on to meet for a sixth time this season in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State was able to reach their fifth straight WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game with an easy 5-0 win over Minnesota-Duluth yesterday afternoon. The Buckeyes took the lead at the 11:03 mark of the first period when Joy Dunne lit the lamp for the 21st time this season. Kiara Zanon doubled Ohio State’s lead less than a minute later. Emma Peschel and Makenna Webster extended the lead with second period goals, while Olivia Mobley closed out the scoring in the third period. Raygan Kirk stopped all 17 shots she faced, recording her eighth shutout of the season, which ties her for most in the country.
Unlike the Buckeyes, Wisconsin had their backs against the wall for most of their semifinal contest against Minnesota. The Badgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the game when Kirsten Simms notched her 30th goal of the season, becoming the first Badger since the 2011-12 season to reach the 30-goal mark in a season. The Golden Gophers responded with two goals before Simms knotted the score with a power play goal nearly nine minutes into the second period.
Minnesota looked like they were on the verge of pulling an upset when they scored a power play goal with less than four minutes left in the third period. Wisconsin were rescued by Casey O’Brien, who put the puck in the back of the net with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Lacey Eden scored 7:59 into the extra session to send Wisconsin to the title game. This wasn’t the first time Eden was the hero in a WCHA Final Faceoff game, as she scored the game-winner in overtime back in 2021 to beat Ohio State in the championship game.
Out of the teams Ohio State played this season, Wisconsin definitely provided the most resistance. Not only did the Badgers take Ohio State to overtime in one of the games in Columbus back in November, Wisconsin handed the Buckeyes one of their three losses during the series in Madison at the end of the regular season. Of the five losses the Badgers have suffered this season, three of those setbacks came at the hands of Ohio State.
The first game of the season between these teams saw the most lopsided result of the four regular season matchups, as Ohio State shutout the Badgers 3-0. Kiara Zanon opened the scoring at the 13:17 mark of the first period, while Jennifer Gardiner added two power play goals less than two minutes apart in the second period. Raygan Kirk was in net for the Buckeyes, stopping all 19 shots she faced.
The next night Wisconsin provided a sterner test, tying the game in the second period after Gardiner scored in the first period, recording her third goal of the weekend. The game would remain tied through regulation before Hannah Bilka scored a little over a minute into the overtime period. After Kirk started the previous night, Amanda Thiele was in net for Ohio State, saving 21 of Wisconsin shots.
When the teams met in Madison, Wisconsin actually handed Ohio State one of their few deficits of the season in the opening game when Maddi Wheeler scored early in the second period. The Buckeyes responded with goals from Zanon and Webster in the second period before Jenna Buglioni put the result out of reach with an empty net goal. Much like the first game in Columbus, Raygan Kirk played the first game of the weekend, stopping 28 shots in the victory.
The second game in Madison didn’t go nearly as smoothly for Ohio State. At first it looked like another victory for the Buckeyes when Kenzie Hauswirth scored two goals in the first period. Casey O’Brien responded with a goal early in the second period, followed by her second tally midway through the third period. Laila Edwards not only scored the game-winning goal just over a minute later, she added an empty net goal with less than 10 seconds left in the game.
With the Buckeyes and Badgers at the top of the national rankings, the result of this game won’t change their path in the NCAA Tournament much. If Wisconsin wins, they would likely be bumped up to the top seed, while Ohio State would be given the second seed. As long as that line of thinking isn’t wrong, a possible sixth meeting of the season wouldn’t happen until the NCAA Championship Game. The teams met last year in the title game, with Wisconsin squeaking out a 1-0 win after Kirsten Simms scored the only goal of the game in the first period. The selection show for this year’s NCAA Tournament will be held at noon tomorrow and can be seen on ESPNews.
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+/WSYX 6.2 The Nest
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Before the NCAA Tournament starts next week, the Buckeyes and Badgers battle for the conference crown.
Minneapolis will be the setting for another epic showdown between the Ohio State women’s hockey team and the Wisconsin Badgers. Following the Badgers beating the Buckeyes 1-0 in last year’s NCAA Championship Game, Ohio State was able to take three of four regular season meetings with Wisconsin this season. These two teams are considered the best two teams in the country and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they go on to meet for a sixth time this season in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State was able to reach their fifth straight WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game with an easy 5-0 win over Minnesota-Duluth yesterday afternoon. The Buckeyes took the lead at the 11:03 mark of the first period when Joy Dunne lit the lamp for the 21st time this season. Kiara Zanon doubled Ohio State’s lead less than a minute later. Emma Peschel and Makenna Webster extended the lead with second period goals, while Olivia Mobley closed out the scoring in the third period. Raygan Kirk stopped all 17 shots she faced, recording her eighth shutout of the season, which ties her for most in the country.
Unlike the Buckeyes, Wisconsin had their backs against the wall for most of their semifinal contest against Minnesota. The Badgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 38 seconds into the game when Kirsten Simms notched her 30th goal of the season, becoming the first Badger since the 2011-12 season to reach the 30-goal mark in a season. The Golden Gophers responded with two goals before Simms knotted the score with a power play goal nearly nine minutes into the second period.
Minnesota looked like they were on the verge of pulling an upset when they scored a power play goal with less than four minutes left in the third period. Wisconsin were rescued by Casey O’Brien, who put the puck in the back of the net with less than 10 seconds left in the game. Lacey Eden scored 7:59 into the extra session to send Wisconsin to the title game. This wasn’t the first time Eden was the hero in a WCHA Final Faceoff game, as she scored the game-winner in overtime back in 2021 to beat Ohio State in the championship game.
Out of the teams Ohio State played this season, Wisconsin definitely provided the most resistance. Not only did the Badgers take Ohio State to overtime in one of the games in Columbus back in November, Wisconsin handed the Buckeyes one of their three losses during the series in Madison at the end of the regular season. Of the five losses the Badgers have suffered this season, three of those setbacks came at the hands of Ohio State.
The first game of the season between these teams saw the most lopsided result of the four regular season matchups, as Ohio State shutout the Badgers 3-0. Kiara Zanon opened the scoring at the 13:17 mark of the first period, while Jennifer Gardiner added two power play goals less than two minutes apart in the second period. Raygan Kirk was in net for the Buckeyes, stopping all 19 shots she faced.
The next night Wisconsin provided a sterner test, tying the game in the second period after Gardiner scored in the first period, recording her third goal of the weekend. The game would remain tied through regulation before Hannah Bilka scored a little over a minute into the overtime period. After Kirk started the previous night, Amanda Thiele was in net for Ohio State, saving 21 of Wisconsin shots.
When the teams met in Madison, Wisconsin actually handed Ohio State one of their few deficits of the season in the opening game when Maddi Wheeler scored early in the second period. The Buckeyes responded with goals from Zanon and Webster in the second period before Jenna Buglioni put the result out of reach with an empty net goal. Much like the first game in Columbus, Raygan Kirk played the first game of the weekend, stopping 28 shots in the victory.
The second game in Madison didn’t go nearly as smoothly for Ohio State. At first it looked like another victory for the Buckeyes when Kenzie Hauswirth scored two goals in the first period. Casey O’Brien responded with a goal early in the second period, followed by her second tally midway through the third period. Laila Edwards not only scored the game-winning goal just over a minute later, she added an empty net goal with less than 10 seconds left in the game.
With the Buckeyes and Badgers at the top of the national rankings, the result of this game won’t change their path in the NCAA Tournament much. If Wisconsin wins, they would likely be bumped up to the top seed, while Ohio State would be given the second seed. As long as that line of thinking isn’t wrong, a possible sixth meeting of the season wouldn’t happen until the NCAA Championship Game. The teams met last year in the title game, with Wisconsin squeaking out a 1-0 win after Kirsten Simms scored the only goal of the game in the first period. The selection show for this year’s NCAA Tournament will be held at noon tomorrow and can be seen on ESPNews.
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+/WSYX 6.2 The Nest
Continue reading...
