Eric Boggs
The dominance of Ohio State Buckeyes women’s ice hockey team continued this weekend as the Buckeyes once again proved they are the elite program in women’s college hockey. After already knocking off the top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers earlier this year on the road, Ohio State delivered another statement victory Saturday, defeating Wisconsin 2–1 in the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game to secure the conference title and a place in the national tournament.
In a tightly contested battle between two of the sport’s powerhouse programs, both teams were locked in a scoreless defensive struggle for nearly 50 minutes. Wisconsin finally broke through with 10:02 remaining in regulation, taking a 1–0 lead and putting the Buckeyes in a late-game deficit.
Ohio State responded quickly. Less than five minutes later, freshman forward Hilda Svensson delivered a clutch moment, tipping in a beautiful backhanded shot to even the score at 1–1 and spark the Buckeyes’ offense. Momentum quickly swung in Ohio State’s favor, and just over two minutes after the equalizer, Jordan Baxter found the back of the net to give the Buckeyes a 2–1 lead. The Ohio State defense held firm down the stretch, preserving the advantage and sealing another conference championship.
The victory adds another milestone for head coach Nadine Muzerall and her program. Under Muzerall’s leadership, Ohio State has now won the WCHA Final Faceoff three times and has reached the championship game in six of the last seven seasons, missing the title matchup only in 2024. The consistent success has firmly established the Buckeyes as one of the premier teams in women’s college hockey.
With the conference crown secured, Ohio State was rewarded with the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship. The Buckeyes will host a regional round next weekend at the OSU Ice Rink, where they will face the winner of the first-round matchup between Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and the Yale Bulldogs.
For Ohio State fans, the path toward another national championship now runs through Columbus, and the Buckeyes are carrying plenty of momentum into the tournament. With timely scoring, elite defense, and a championship pedigree under Muzerall, Ohio State looks poised to make another deep run on the national stage.
