MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 2 University of Wisconsin skated to a 6-3 win over top-ranked Ohio State University to secure the program’s 10th WCHA tournament crown and win the 2024 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff on Saturday afternoon at Ridder Arena.
 
Wisconsin (33-5-0) was led by four points each from Laila Edwards and Casey O’Brien as each recorded a pair of goals and a pair of assists. WCHA Player of the Year Kirsten Simms (1g-2a), Britta Curl (1g-1a), and WCHA Defender of the Year Caroline Harvey (2a) also recorded multiple points for the Badgers, and goaltender Ava McNaughton finished with 30 saves.
 
“We’re really excited about the way the game went today, understanding and knowing the challenges that our league presents to each team,” Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. “It’s a tough trophy to win. As I told the team, they were prepared well for the game today, and they took advantage of the opportunity.”
 
Wisconsin took the lead on its first shot on goal of the game and never looked back, scoring twice in the opening period and three times in the second before adding a final tally in third.
 
Ohio State (32-4-0) received a pair of late goals from Hannah Bilka along with a second-period tally from Jocelyn Amos. Netminder Raygan Kirk made 16 saves.
 
“The shots were in our favor. Time in zone was a little bit more in our favor, but they scored when they needed to,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “They capitalized when they needed to. That’s what most important. We did not. I hope it [motivates] our team and we go try to win a national championship, and that just drives us.”
 
Simms opened the scoring for Wisconsin with her third goal of the tournament at the 6:31 mark of the first period before Edwards doubled the lead three minutes later to give the Badgers a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.
 


The Buckeyes got on the board less than 90 seconds into the second period when Amos stuffed the puck past McNaughton off a feed from Jennifer Gardiner and Stephanie Markowski at the 1:17 mark of period two.
 
Wisconsin answered with three-straight goals to extend its lead to 5-1 through 40 minutes of play. Edwards netted a power-play tally at the 5:16 mark of the middle frame before O’Brien beat Kirk in the slot with 12:14 remaining in the period. Curl then added a short-handed breakaway goal with 1:26 to go, giving Wisconsin a four-goal lead heading into the game’s final 20 minutes.
 
The Badgers went up 6-1 when O’Brien scored her second of the game, netting a power-play tally just 1:26 into the final stanza.
 
“There was definitely a little nerves going into the game. That’s natural. It’s a championship game, and Ohio State’s a great team,” O’Brien said. “We also trusted in each other. Every single person was ready to go today. I think we knew as long as we stuck to our identity and played the way we know we can, we were going to be just fine.”
 
OSU made a late push as Bilka scored twice to cut the Badgers’ lead to three in the game’s final five minutes, but it wasn’t enough for the Buckeyes to overcome the deficit.
 
“I think overall we can learn from this game,” Bilka said. “At the end of the season, everyone is playing their strongest game, so I think that’s one of the best teams that we’ve seen this year. I also think we have more to give. We haven’t seen our best yet.”
 
For the game, Ohio State had the advantage in shots on goal, 33-22. Wisconsin went 2-for-2 on the power play while holding Ohio State scoreless on two opportunities with the skater advantage.
 
“Our power play was outstanding,” Edwards said. “The puck movement was good. Most importantly, our puck retrieval was good off shots and missed passes. We wanted it, so we got the puck back. We were very unselfish. Our PK was huge—some great sticks, some great blocks, giving it our all. It was really good to see. We earned it.”
 
With the win, Wisconsin secures the WCHA’s automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament.
 
The NCAA will announce the entire tournament field during the NCAA selection show, which is scheduled to air on ESPNews at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 10.
 
Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff All-Tournament Team
F: Laila Edwards, Wisconsin
F: Casey O’Brien, Wisconsin (MVP)
F: Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin
D: Emma Peschel, Ohio State
D: Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin
G: Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin