Itch scratched; Badgers women's hockey national champs
Wisconsin women's hockey won on the backs of its most-spectacular senior class of all time.
University Park, PA — This Wisconsin women’s hockey graduating senior class had rarely experienced a setback in its time on campus. With four-straight trips to the Frozen Four (with a couple of national titles to boot), a complete re-writing of the program recordbook, and the largest number of wins over four years in program history already, only one thing had eluded these Wisconsin Badgers before Sunday: going back-to-back.
After Wisconsin secured its place in the 2026 Frozen Four, UW senior Kirsten Simms, looking ahead to a fourth-straight national title game against OSU, said her team was “itching for that back-to-back” that the Buckeyes denied the Badgers in 2024.
“No itches left!” Simms proclaimed in a post-game interview.
With that senior class being the ones with everything to play for, hoping to leave Wisconsin with win #137 during their time on campus, it was only fitting that UW’s graduates led the way for the last-second victory.
Even if it was the unlikeliest of heroes.
Badgers flip the script, getting quick start
In the national semifinal, early penalties put the Badgers behind early. Flipping the script in the national title game against a Buckeyes squad that challenges opponents with unrelenting pressure, and was a perfect 23-0 when scoring first, figured to be crucial.
Kelly Gorbatenko gave Wisconsin the fast start it was hoping for. The Badgers alternate captain tipped in an Adéla Šapovalivová wrist shot from the high slot, for a 1-0 lead on her line’s first shift.
Badgers head coach Mark Johnson, acknowledging Ohio State’s tendency to put opposing tams on their heels all season long remarked that if he were to have written the script to today’s game, he wanted to make sure it said his team scored first.
With her game-opening strike just 78 seconds after the opening puck drop, Gorbatenko recorded the second-fastest opening goal in championship game history, trailing only Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Sarah Potomak’s goal just 13 seconds into the 2016 title game.
That line, newly configured by Johnson after swapping the wingers Šapovalivová and Cassie Hall centered on Friday, doubled the lead shortly thereafter. Badgers defender Laney Potter crept up into the play and noticed Buckeyes goaltender Hailey Macleod leave the right corner of the net unprotected.
The junior saw Gorbatenko with the puck below the goal line, demanded the one-time pass, and put her team up 2-0 less than eight minutes in.
Ohio State brings it back
Between the time 2-0 lead and the 2-2 tie, Wisconsin went scoreless on four power play opportunities. The Buckeyes limited the Badgers’ chances on the advantage thanks, in part, to OSU’s dominance at the faceoff dot.
Through two periods Ohio State won 30 draws to Wisconsin’s 14. Johnson acknowledged that OSU is “good at faceoffs” and that “they have a bunch of different faceoff plays” that could lead to a quick shot on goal.
Wisconsin goaltender Ava McNaughton, who earned Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player honors, kept Ohio State from knotting it up earlier than what eventually came to pass, but the relentless Buckeyes’ pressure eventually broke through.
First, it was OSU rookie Kassidy Carmichael potting the 10th goal of her career, tipping in a puck over McNaughton’s left shoulder after an initial shot from the point by Buckeyes defender Mira Jungåker.
Just over two minutes later, it was Ohio State captain Jocelyn Amos, burying a rebound left in front of the net, with that faceoff bug finally biting Wisconsin.
“This was our sixth time playing this team, so I get to know their centers pretty well over the course of the season,” Amos said of her success on the draw, winning 26 of 44 attempts. “I remember as the season goes on what each of their centermen like to do and I just take mental notes as we go.”
The Badgers, caught on a long shift, trudged back to their own defensive end after a questionable icing call went Ohio State’s way. Wisconsin center Cassie Hall lost the draw to Amos, OSU defender Emma Peschel took the initial shot, and Amos went back to the front of the net to tie it up.
“They had those two consecutive goals, but there was never a doubt,” Badgers captain Caroline Harvey said.
The unlikely hero
Of the numerous seniors on this Wisconsin Badgers roster, Claire Enright is not among those boasting a laundry list of individual accolades. Before Sunday, she had only scored one game-winning goal in her career, an even-strength tally during a 6-2 blowout of the Minnesota State Mavericks on January 11th, 2025.
The Farmington, Minnesota native’s 20th collegiate goal, just the second game-winner of her career will go down as the most memorable she has ever scored.
In the third period, Wisconsin brought the faceoff battle back, winning just over half of the 27 taken in the final frame, none more critical than Marianne Picard’s successful try with 6:30 remaining.
The Badgers maintained possession after the offensive zone draw with the puck eventually reaching Harvey at the right point. The defender kept the puck in the zone, Picard successfully handled the high-velocity pass with her backhand delivering it to Enright, and Enright had a free lane at the bottom of the circle to Macleod.
Assisted by her fellow graduating classmates, Enright hit the back of the net for the first time since Valentine’s Day, banking the puck off the far post and in for the eventual game-winner in the national title game.
Wisconsin hung on, despite the Buckeyes’ attempts at a last-minute comeback with the goaltender pulled, and a video review hoping to find a Badger and put its most spectacular senior class in the record book one more time.
This article has been updated.
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