Wisconsin women’s hockey played a game for the ages in Duluth, Minnesota, against Ohio State on Sunday afternoon. It was the Badgers’ fifth game against the Buckeyes this season, but this game had national title implications. Ohio State came in as the preseason favorite to repeat as champs, earned the number-one seed in the NCAA Tournament, and challenged the Badgers the entire way, but it was not enough. Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 1-0.

After a five-game skid earlier this season, the NCAA Tournament was not a guarantee for the Badgers. Badgers’ fans defining memories from this season will not be that losing skid, however. What will be remembered are the contributions from an incredible freshman class, defeating the defending national champions, and securing the program’s seventh national championship.

Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Secures Early Lead

A pair of freshmen got the Badgers on the board early. Wisconsin has relied on their freshman to generate scoring throughout the season and Kirsten Simms answered the call with 6:32 remaining in the opening frame. Fellow freshman Claire Enright fought to keep the puck in the offensive zone and found Simms open in the high slot. Simms got a wrist shot off around one defender and scored high blocker side.

WHO ELSE BUT KIRSTEN SIMMS?! BADGERS ARE ON THE BOARD.

📺 ESPNU #WFrozenFour x @BadgerWHockey pic.twitter.com/VBNYcJGleE

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 19, 2023

The Buckeyes outshot the Badgers 16-5 in the first period. Badgers senior goaltender Cami Kronish held OSU scoreless, stopping all 16 shots. Wisconsin skaters added another 7 blocked shot attempts by Ohio State – including three by captain Britta Curl.

Although no goals were scored in the second period, there was plenty of action on both ends of the ice. Wisconsin led the Buckeyes in shots on goal 11-6 in the second. The Badgers controlled possession at the end of the period in the Ohio State defensive zone to close the period – peppering a total of nine shot attempts toward the OSU goal in the final 1:50.

Third Period Blitz for the Buckeyes

Enright tried to get her name on the scoresheet again early in the third period. After finding herself alone on a breakaway, the Farmington, Minnesota native tried to go to her backhand to beat Ohio State goaltender Amanda Thiele, but could not get around her right leg.

After killing a roughing penalty committed by defender Riley Brengman, Ohio State brought pressure to its offensive zone. Kronish made an impressive toe save after sliding from her right to left across the crease to stop a shot attempt by Buckeyes winger Paetyn Levis with 12:43 remaining. It was the first of three saves by Kronish in a mere 49 seconds.

After both teams were held scoreless down the stretch, Ohio State attempted to pull Thiele for an extra skater but had the play blown dead after making an early substitution. Eventually, Thiele was successfully pulled, but it was too late. The Badgers won 1-0, shutting out Ohio State for the first time all season.

FINAL IN DULUTH#Badgers 1
Buckeyes 0

WE ARE SEVEN TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/9TTKN41P1J

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 19, 2023

Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Record-Breaking National Championship

With the victory, Wisconsin broke its tie with the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the most NCAA Division 1 Women’s Hockey national championships. It is another feather in the cap of head coach Mark Johnson – the all-time winningest coach in women’s college hockey.

Kronish was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. She made 31 saves in the championship game, including 16 in the first period. The 2022-23 season was Kronish’s first as the Badgers’ starting goaltender.

CHAMPIONS!!! WISCONSIN WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!! BADGERS WIN!!

📺 ESPNU #WFrozenFour x @BadgerWHockey pic.twitter.com/PfXcLxY9YJ

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 19, 2023

Four other Badgers joined Kronish with individual accolades. Kronish, Natalie Buchbinder, Curl, Nicole LaMantia, and Sophie Shirley won their third national championship. That group of five joins only seven other UW players to ever win three national titles.

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Madison, WI- It is time to Pack the Kohl again! Badger fans did a great job last Friday for the Women, with 14,430 fans in attendance at the Fill the Bowl game vs. St. Cloud State. However, it is time to do it again but this time for the Men’s team. The Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team will face the NUMBER ONE RANKED Golden Gophers. 

Friday, February 10th

The Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team is hosting a stripe-out at the Kohl Center. Red and White are the colors, with each section alternating colors. Red vs. White sections will also participate in games with chances to win a souvenir puck after the game.

It's Red 🔴 vs. White ⚪️ on Friday at the Kohl Center

Seven games.

Winning color takes home a souvenir puck pic.twitter.com/tu9bgl5A69

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 6, 2023

Saturday, February 11th

The Badgers will be honoring the 50th anniversary of the 1973 National Championship team. The 1973 team was the first Badger team to win an NCAA Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey championship. The Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team defeated Denver 4-2 in the title game that year.

A little history lesson

The last time the Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team played the #1 ranked team at the Kohl Center was on February 6th and 7th of 2014 against the top-ranked Gophers. The Badgers would win 2-1 on both nights.

Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jake Maier on Twitter. @JakeJMaier.

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Notre Dame, IN- The Wisconsin men’s Hockey team was swept by the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. 

Friday 1/27/2023 

The Badgers put up a good first period scoring two goals. Jack Horbach and Daniel Laatsch knotted the game up at two a piece halfway through the first before Notre Dame scored another near the end of the period. The Badgers wouldn’t score again until Mathieu De St. Phalle found the back of the net on the Power Play in the third period. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team lost 5-3 on Friday night.

Saturday 1/28/2023

Brock Caufield would be the lone goal scorer for the Badgers Saturday night. Carson Bantle and Cruz Lucius would get credit for the assist on the goal. The Fighting Irish would win 3-1.

Where the Badgers stand in College Hockey

The Wisconsin Men’s Hockey team currently sits in 7th (last place) in the BigTen. With a 10-16-0 overall record and a 3-13-0 record in conference play with 9 points. Wisconsin sits at 34th out of 62 in the Pairwise Rankings. The Badgers only way to make it to the NCAA Tournament is to win the BigTen Championship.

Wisconsin Men’s Hockey News/Badger Hockey News

The Badgers picked up a commitment from Goaltender Anton Castro from the Fargo Force (USHL).

Wisconsin will play the Michigan Wolverines this Friday and Saturday at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, MI. You can watch the games on BTN+.

The Women’s team will be taking on St. Cloud State this weekend. The game will take place on Friday, February 3rd at the Kohl Center for the annual FILL THE BOWL.

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