Wisconsin wins women's hockey national title with OT victory over Ohio State

Wisconsin Badgers left wing Kirsten Simms (27) looks to pass against the Bemidji State Beavers in the first period of a WCHA first-round game Saturday, March 1, 2025, at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin.

By Herald Sports Desk

March 23, 2025 at 8:24 PM

MINNEAPOLIS — Wisconsin junior Kirsten Simms scored the game-tying penalty shot with 18.9 seconds left in regulation, then the overtime game-winner to lead the Badgers to a 4-3 win over Ohio State in the NCAA Division I women's hockey national championship.

It's the program's eighth national title.

Wisconsin (38-1-2) trailed 1-0 in the first period and 3-1 in the second period before rallying to win its fourth NCAA title in the last seven years.

The two powerhouses traded special team goals in the middle of the first period. OSU (29-7-3) got on the board first with a short-handed goal before Laila Edwards scored her fourth of the weekend on the same power play to even things at 1-1.

OSU grabbed a goal late in the first to take a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

The Buckeyes took a 3-1 lead with a goal 10 seconds into the second, but Wisconsin wouldn't go down without a fight.

Harvey scored her second of the tournament to bring the Badgers within a goal. Simms tracked down her own rebound and sent a pass from one knee to Caroline Harvey who snapped the puck into the net. The second period ended with a 3-2 OSU lead.

Wisconsin pushed in the third period and received a power play with 1:50 remaining in regulation. It pulled its netminder and got a promising look with the puck trickling through the crease. After a Wisconsin challenge, it was determined that an Ohio State skater closed a hand on the puck in the crease, resulting in a Wisconsin penalty shot. The Badgers elected for Simms to take it and the junior deked out OSU netminder Amanda Thiele and tucked it in past her left pad to tie the game at 3-3 with 18.9 seconds left to send it to overtime.

The Badgers secured the victory 2:39 into extra time. Eden took a shot that Thiele saved but the rebound bounced onto the stick of Simms who put the puck in the back of the net and seal the come-from-behind national championship win.

Ava McNaughton stopped 18 of 21 shots to secure her 36th win of the season, the most of any Wisconsin netminder in school history.

Wisconsin's backup goalie was Grand Forks' Quinn Kuntz, who won two national titles as a reserve goalie for Ohio State earlier in her college career.