Wisconsin Badgers
Ohio State
Five things to know: No. 1 Badgers face No. 2 Buckeyes
December 02, 2025 | Women's Hockey
UW closes out 2025 with top-two matchup
COLUMBUS, Ohio. - The No. 1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team plays in its final series of 2025 against No. 2 Ohio State on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6. Friday’s game will be at 5 p.m. and Saturday’s at 2 p.m. (CT)
Fans can watch the action on Big Ten Plus or listen to Paul Braun on 1070 AM (Friday) and 100.9 FM (Saturday)
Here are five things to know about the series
1. BREAKING RECORDS
After a 22-goal weekend in the SMASHVILLE showcase, the Badgers remain No.1 in the polls.
On Saturday’s game against the Mercyhurst Lakers, the Badgers won 5-1. After goaltender Ava McNaughton made eight saves, senior Chloe Baker saw the back of the net for the first time this season.
On Sunday, Wisconsin faced Stonehill, where the Badgers collected a program-record 17 goals. Alternate captains Lacey Eden and Laila Edwards also broke some personal records. Eden earned her 200th career point, and Edwards notched her 100th career assist.
Kirsten Simms and McKayla Zilisch both gathered hat-tricks in Sunday’s game as well. Zilisch’s first goal of the three was the first of her UW Career.
Freshman Rhyah Stewart made her first career start, saving 13 shots.
2. DYNAMIC DUO
After the weekend performance, Caroline Harvey and Lacey Eden both collected WCHA distinctions.
Captain Harvey led all conference defenders with seven points this weekend, earning her the Defender of the Week award.
After the Mercyhurst game, Harvey eclipsed 168 career points, surpassing Ronda Curtin as the WCHA's all-time defensive point scorer.
Alternate captain Eden earned the Forward of the Week honor after collecting three goals and five assists over the weekend. The forward also garnered her 200th career point during Sunday’s game against Stonehill.
3. AGAINST THE BUCKEYES
Wisconsin and Ohio State have established themselves as Women's Hockey powerhouses the last few years, with the two teams meeting up in the last three NCAA Championships.
UW last met the Buckeyes in the 2025 NCAA National Championship, where the Badgers brought home the trophy in a 4-3 OT win. Trailing 3-2 in the final period of regulation, Kirsten Simms tied things up with a penalty shot with just 18.9 seconds remaing, and then went on to score the game-winner in overtime.
While the Buckeyes took home the 2024 championship after a 1-0 victory over the Badgers, it was Wisconsin who earned the first championship victory between the two teams, with Simms scoring the game-winner in a 1-0 victory in 2023.
Wisconsin is 82-26-11 overall with Ohio State; last season, they were 3-1-1.
So far, the No. 2 Buckeyes are 15-1-0 and received five first-place votes in the USCHO polls this week.
4. RIVALRY SERIES PART TWO.
On Dec. 10 and 13, five current and five former Badgers will join Team USA in a rivalry series against Team Canada.
Lacey Eden, Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Ava McNaughton, and Kirsten Simms are accompanied by UW legends Hilary Knight, Britta Curl-Salemme, Jesse Compher, Casey O'Brien, and Anna Wilgren.
In the United States’s previous matchup against Canada on Nov. 6 and 8, Team USA won both games. Laila Edwards had a goal in the second game of the series.
There are also five former Badgers on the Canadian roster: Sarah Nurse, Emily Clark, Blayre Turnbull, Ann-Renée Desbiens and Darryl Watts.
5. RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
The series against Ohio State is Wisconsin’s final faceoff of the year.
The Badgers' first series of 2026 is against No. 5 Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 9 and 10.
The Wisconsin women’s hockey team has one more away series against St. Thomas on Jan. 16 and 17 before returning home and facing Bemidji on Jan. 24 and 25.
