Then-sophomore forward Jenna Buglioni (10) moves the puck down the ice during the Ohio State-Wisconsin game Feb. 18, 2022. Ohio State won 5-1. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File Photo
After 16 straight wins, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team fell in Madison, Wisconsin, Saturday.
The No. 1 Buckeyes (29-3-0, 26-2-0 WCHA) split their weekend series against the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers (29-5-0, 23-5-0 WCHA), winning 3-1 Friday night and losing 4-2 at LaBahn Arena.
“This is something that hopefully motivates us to know that we are beatable,” head coach Nadine Muzerall said.
Ohio State began the series fighting an uphill battle Friday night. The Buckeyes allowed a season-high 19 shots on goal in the first period while only recording two of their own. Senior goaltender Raygan Kirk saved all 19 shots, keeping the game tied 0-0.
“It could’ve changed the outcome of the game if she’s not making those saves in the beginning, in the first period, that she did,” Muzerall said. “She was our backbone and that’s what we need from goaltending as we push to the playoffs.”
Wisconsin’s Maddi Wheeler scored the first goal of the game 1:32 into the second period, but Ohio State roared back near the end of the frame.
Two top-corner goals from senior forwards Kiara Zanon and Makenna Webster gave the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead going into the second intermission while outshooting the Badgers 14-5 in the period.
Ohio State closed out the game with an empty-net goal in the final minute from senior forward Jenna Buglioni to win 3-1. Kirk finished the game with 28 saves, her second-most this season.
“It showed a lot of our athletic maturity of not giving up,” Muzerall said. “When we started to play more of our game and being more aggressive and trusting in our systems, we started to play more Buckeye hockey and started to control the game.”
Much like Ohio State on Friday, Wisconsin came from behind to win on Saturday. Two Kenzie Hauswirth goals gave the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period, but Wisconsin responded with four unanswered scores.
Badger forward Kasey O’Brien scored two goals — one in the second period and one in the third — to tie the game at 2-2. Laila Edwards gave Wisconsin its first lead with 8:45 remaining in the third period before she scored an empty net goal in the final eight seconds to cap off the 4-2 victory.
“I was proud of our first 20 minutes,” Muzerall said. “It was unfortunate how we started the second period. I think we got a little comfortable, which you can never really do with this team.”
Ohio State finished the 2023-24 regular season with the best overall record and best conference record in program history.
The Buckeyes will return next weekend to face No. 8-seeded Bemidji State in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament quarterfinals. The three-game series will take place from Friday to Sunday at the Ohio State Ice Rink. All games will be streaming live on Big Ten Plus.
