Ohio State
28-4-2, 23-4-1
Wisconsin
23-9-2, 19-7-2
Ohio State Wins First WCHA Regular Season Title With 3-1 Win Over Wisconsin
2/19/2023 6:33:16 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Box Score | Schedule | Roster | Season Stats
COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the first time in program history, the Ohio State women’s hockey team has won the 2022-23 WCHA Regular Season Championship. The Buckeyes (28-4-2, 23-4-1 WCHA) scored three goals in the final five minutes of the game to defeat No. 6 Wisconsin, 3-1, and win the Julianne Bye Cup for the first time.
How it Happened
- The game was scoreless for the first 47:17 of the game with Ohio State goaltender Amanda Thiele making 19 saves in the first two periods to keep Wisconsin off the board.
- It was the Badgers who were first to score as a puck shot by Laila Edwards trickled past Thiele to give Wisconsin a 1-0 lead at 7:17 in the third period.
- The lead was short lived though, as the Buckeyes rattled off three goals in the last 4:17 of the game.
- For the second game in a row, Emma Maltais scored the game-tying goal, finding the back of the net at 15:43 on the power play for the Buckeyes. Jenn Gardiner sent a pass across the slot to Maltais, who was waiting on the goal line to shoot the puck past Wiscosin goaltender Cami Kronish.
- With under a minute to play, graduate defenseman Madison Bizal took a shot from the slot and beat Kronish stick side high to give Ohio State a 2-1 lead.
- The Buckeyes were back on the power play with 56 seconds to play and Bizal scored the insurance goal for the Buckeyes with only 26 seconds left on the clock.
Game Notes
- The Buckeyes finish the regular season with 70 conference points and a 23-4-1 record in WCHA play. The win also secures the Buckeyes the top seed in the WCHA tournament that is set to begin next weekend.
- Ohio State wins the regular season series against Wisconsin 3-1 and earns its sixth win in the last seven games against the Badgers.
- Madison Bizal led the Buckeyes with three points on the day, scoring two goals and adding an assist on the team’s game-tying goal.
- With two points on the day, Emma Maltais has now scored 200 career points. As the program record holder in career points, she is the first Buckeye skater to reach 200 points.
- The Buckeyes blocked a season-high 29 shots in the game. Bizal and Gabby Rosenthal each blocked seven shots on the day.
- In seven years as the head coach of the Ohio State women’s hockey team, Nadine Muzerall has helped the Buckeyes to two WCHA Final Faceoff trophies, and national championship, and now a regular season title.
Statistically Speaking
Total Shots: Wisconsin 76, Ohio State 76
Shots on Goal: Wisconsin 33, Ohio State 28
Saves: Ohio State (Thiele) 32, Wisconsin (Kronish) 25
Power Play: Ohio State 2-3, Wisconsin 0-1
Faceoffs: Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 24
Ohio State Scoring: Bizal (2-1-3), Maltais (1-1-2), Gardiner (0-2-2), Rosenthal (0-1-1), Jaques (0-1-1)
Up Next
Ohio State earns the No. 1 seed in the WCHA tournament and will host Bemidji State in a best-of-three quarterfinal series at the Ohio State Ice Rink. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, if needed. Tickets for the quarterfinal games go on sale Monday. The games will also be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).
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