Ohio State Wins Third WCHA Final Faceoff Championship

Saturday, March 7

St. Paul, Minn.

3 p.m. (2 p.m. CT)

Ohio State

34-4-0

Wisconsin

32-4-2

Ohio St.

Wisconsin

Ohio State Wins Third WCHA Final Faceoff Championship

3/7/2026 6:48:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The No. 2 Ohio State women's hockey team is the 2026 WCHA Final Faceoff Champion. The Buckeyes 34-4-0, 24-40 WCHA) defeated No. 1 Wisconsin, 2-1, in Saturday's championship game at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul, Minn.

With the win, Ohio State earns the league's automatic qualification to the 2026 NC Women's Ice Hockey Championship tournament.

Short Story
It took nearly 50 minutes for a goal to be scored in Saturday's championship game. Wisconsin took the 1-0 lead at 9:58 in the third period and Ohio State responded with two goals in the final 5:30 of the game for the team's first Final Faceoff win since 2022

Senior defender Emma Peschel led the team with two assists, earning the primary assist on both goals scored. Peschel and Sara Swiderski were both +2 on the day.

Jordan Baxter, who scored the game-winning goal for the Buckeyes, was named the Final Faceoff's Most Outstanding Player. MacLeod, Peschel, Hilda Svensson and Sloane Matthews were voted to the all-tournament team.

How it Happened

Both teams were scoreless through the first two periods in St. Paul. Ohio State outshot Wisconsin in both periods with 13 and 18 shots on goal in the first and second periods, respectively.
MacLeod combined for 18 saves in the first 40 minutes of the game.
Wisconsin scored at 9:58 in the third period for the 1-0 lead, but the Badger advantage did not hold for long.
Hilda Svensson tipped a shot from Emma Peschel into the Wisconsin goal at 14:30 to bring the game back to even.
Two minutes later, Jordan Baxter looked to make a pass from behind the goal line to Peschel waiting at the top of the crease, but the pass was deflected into the goal to put Ohio State in front with 3:28 to play in the game.
Wisconsin emptied their net with a minute to play for the extra skater and had a power play in the final 20 seconds, but the Buckeyes would not allow it to net the equalizer.
MacLeod finished the game with 10 saves in the third period to hold the nation's top offense to just one goal on the day.

Game Notes

Saturday was Ohio State's sixth appearance in the Final Faceoff championship game. The team now has three Final Faceoff titles (2020, 2022 and 2026).
Ohio State is now 2-3-0 against Wisconsin this season and earns its first win over the Badgers on neutral ice since the 2024 national championship game.

Statistically Speaking
Shots on Goal: Ohio State 40, Wisconsin 29
Saves: Wisconsin (McNaughton) 38, Ohio State (MacLeod) 28
Power Play: Ohio State 0-2, Wisconsin 0-3
Faceoffs: Ohio State 40, Minnesota 31
Ohio State Scoring: Peschel (0-2-2), Baxter (1-0-1), Svensson (1-0-1), Amos (0-1-1)

Up Next
The 2026 NC women's ice hockey championship begins with regionals March 12-15. Ohio State will find out its tournament seed and regional during the NCAA selection show on Sunday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNU.

#GoBucks