The Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes competing in women’s hockey is the textbook example of history being doomed to repeat itself. This weekend’s series is a rematch of the last three NCAA Championship games and will mark the 14th and 15th consecutive times these teams have played a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup.
Heck, even last weekend against the Gophers was a lesson in history repeating itself from earlier this season. The No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers (24-2-2, 18-2-2 WCHA) lost the opener to the Gophers before
delivering a beatdown in the finale. At least this time around, the Badgers salvaged a point by losing the first game in overtime.
Wisconsin is playing shorthanded following the departure of four Olympians to Team USA, as well as one to Team Czechia. The Badgers are without the league’s best defender in Caroline Harvey, as well as the best goaltender in Ava McNaughton. They also lost their all-world forward, Kirsten Simms, and their Swiss army knife, Laila Edwards. Freshman Adéla Šapovalivová is the international departure for Team Czechia.
Team USA squared off against Team Czechia in their opener on Thursday, with Team USA earning a 5-1 victory in the preliminary round matchup. Harvey and Edwards led the USA in ice time, with the latter assisting on the opening goal.
Badger legend Hilary Knight scored her 13th Olympic goal in the contest, putting her one back of the all-time USA record for Olympic goals. She sits four points back of the all-time points leader with a chance to claim both during these Olympics.
As for this weekend, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (25-3-0, 19-3-0 WCHA) is also shorthanded after losing Joy Dunne (USA), Hilda Svensson (Sweden), Sanni Vanhanen (Finland), Mira Jungåker (Sweden), and Jenna Raunio (Sweden) to their respective Olympic rosters.
Still, the Badgers and Buckeyes are locked in a battle for the WCHA regular season title with Wisconsin clinging to a two-point lead entering this weekend. I mentioned last week that splits with Minnesota and Ohio State would go a long way toward claiming the crown, and that holds true. Earning four of the six points available last weekend puts Wisconsin ahead of pace, and any regulation win against the Buckeyes this weekend would ensure the Badgers remain in first place with four games remaining.
Ohio State gets Minnesota next weekend, making an uncomfortable scenario where Wisconsin fans take a rooting interest in the Gophers to help create some separation (or put Wisconsin back into the lead, depending on this weekend’s results) before the Buckeyes finish with Bemidji State. Following this series, Wisconsin will finish with Minnesota State and St. Cloud State.
Despite the consistent No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups in this series, this bout feels fresh with the amount of recent roster turnover on both sides. Wisconsin’s top line of Kelly Gorbatenko, Cassie Hall, and Lacey Eden already proved that this version of the Badgers can still create pressure and light the lamp, while the shorthanded Buckeyes chased Minnesota Duluth’s all-world goaltender, Ève Gascon, after the first period and earned back-to-back wins last weekend.
It’s rare that familiar foes who have competed for so much over the years can produce what feels like a fresh matchup, but that’s exactly what we’ll get this weekend. It’s a shame that the whittled-down rosters will decide the WCHA regular season champion down the stretch, but if history is any indication, it won’t be the last time these two teams meet before all is said and done.
Game Info
Date: February 7-8
Time: Saturday – 3:00 p.m. | Sunday – 2:00 p.m.
Place: Minneapolis, Minn. | Ridder Arena
TV: BTN (Saturday), B1G+ (Sunday) | Radio: 1070 AM
