The Ohio State Women’s Ice Hockey team raise their sticks in the air after their game against Minnesota State on Jan. 22. Ohio State won 3-0. Credit: Gabe Haferman | For the Lantern
Ohio State’s championship aspirations came to a close Thursday as the Buckeyes fell to the Badgers.
Raging in their red road jerseys, No. 3 Ohio State (13-7-0) was unable to complete the comeback against No. 2 Wisconsin (16-3-1) in the 2021 NCAA Frozen Four, dropping to the Badgers 4-2.
Despite falling into a 3-0 hole mid-way through the second period, a pair of goals from junior forwards Gabby Rosenthal and Sara Saekkinen made it a one-score game with just over 12 minutes remaining in regulation.
“You can put your head between your legs and stop fighting, or you can swing back,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said.
However, Wisconsin senior forward Darryl Watts determined the game’s fate with an empty net goal with less than 15 seconds remaining. The nation’s scoring leader in both goals and points per game pushed the final score to 4-2.
Although Ohio State managed to outshoot Wisconsin 39-23, Badgers redshirt senior goaltender Kennedy Blair turned away 37 of the Buckeyes’ opportunities.
Ohio State junior goaltender Andrea Braendli did not share the same success as Blair, allowing four goals on just 23 shots.
Although coming up a game short of a national championship opportunity Saturday, Rosenthal said the scoreboard did not reflect the Buckeyes’ play in their final game of the 2020-21 season.
“We kept pressing from there on so obviously not the ending we wanted but I think, you know, we played great,” Rosenthal said.
