The nation’s top-ranked Wisconsin Badgers tied the Ohio State Buckeyes in a thriller at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Saturday night.
As part of ‘The Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series,’ Mark Johnson’s program suited up for its second game of a two-bout series against an Ohio State team that boasts USA TODAY/USA Hockey Poll’s No. 2 position.
Caroline Harvey, Kirsten Simms and Kelly Gorbatenko scored all three of UW’s goals in regulation. Both Harvey and Simmons registered their scores in the first period, while Gorbatenko knotted the game at three apiece with roughly five minutes remaining in the final frame.
After neither team found the net during the three-on-three overtime period, Ohio State eventually ended the game in a seven-round shootout. Nonetheless, the final score moved Wisconsin to an impressive 20-1-1, 14-1-1 WCHA on the season and concluded the Badgers’ season series against the Buckeyes (13-5-3, 8-5-3 WCHA).
Final score in Chicago.#Badgers 3, Ohio State 3
A close battle ends in a tie with the OSU picking up the shootout point. pic.twitter.com/SfDn0F3lOi— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) January 5, 2025
Positioned at the center of Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Field, the Badgers were on center stage alongside OSU, Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan. The event was the first outdoor match for UW’s women’s group in 14 years.
“The game is going to end up the way the game is going to end up,” Johnson said of the Frozen Confines event. “The most important thing, and the bigger picture of it is everybody got to experience it. You thank the people for coming out and the fans that came to the game.”
UW continues its season against Minnesota State at home on Jan. 11.