Five Things to Know: Badgers set for 2025 WCHA Final Faceoff in Duluth
March 04, 2025 | Women's Hockey
Badgers face UMD in semifinal, Ohio State or Minnesota if advance to final
MADISON, Wis. – The No.1 Wisconsin women's hockey team is set to take on Minnesota Duluth Friday at 1 p.m. CT at the AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota. Should the Badgers win that game, they'll then advance to the tournament final at 2 p.m. CT against the winner of the Ohio State-Minnesota game which is slated for 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
All games will take place at the AMSOIL Arena in Duluth and single-game or session tickets area available here. Fans in the Madison area can catch the game on TV on Friday on Madison WMTV 15.2 (CW) and on Saturday on 15.4 (MeTV). The games are also available on television on the My9 Sports, Fox9+, Green Bay WBAY 2.3, Mankato KEYC 7.3, Wausau WSAW 7.2 and CW Columbus channels.
Fans can also stream the games on B1G+ or listen to Paul Braun, Zach Sielaff and Mark Greenhalgh on The Game 1070.
Additional information about the tournament, venue and ticket options is available on the WCHA's website.
How To Follow
Wisconsin at the 2025 Final Faceoff
1. LAST TIME OUT
Wisconsin only needed two games to overcome the Bemidji State Beavers in the best-of-three WCHA First Round to advance to the Final Faceoff. Wisconsin shutout the Beavers 3-0 in game one and 11-0 in game two.
Wisconsin co-captain Casey O'Brien had a historic game as a six-point game two performance propelled her to set a new school career assist, finishing the series with 265 career points. In game, the forward has broken her own singe-assist record, finishing the weekend with a new school record of 55. Overall, O'Brien enjoyed a seven-point weekend off of one goal and six assists.
Kirsten Simms enjoyed her second-straight weekend with a hat trick, posting one in game two with a three goal and one assist performance, accomplishing the same exact feat as the week prior also against Bemidji State. Simms also recorded her 100th career assist.
McNaughton recorded her 31st win of the season, which is tied with Kristen Campbell for the fifth-most in a season in school history.
2. PEP RALLY AT 310 PUB
The Wisconsin women's hockey team is heading back to the 2025 Kwik Trip WCHA Final Faceoff and Badger fans are invited to make the trip to Duluth!
Before the action takes place on the ice, join us for a WCHA Final Faceoff Pep Rally presented by UW Credit Union at 310 Pub,
On Friday, the pep rally will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. Should the Badgers advance to the championship on Saturday, the fun continues from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with appearances by Bucky Badger and the band.
There will be Wisconsin giveaway items both days. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Admission is free and all Badger fans are welcome!
Our opponent is set!
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) March 3, 2025
The #Badgers will take on UMD on Friday in the semifinals of the 2025 @WCHA_WHockey Final Faceoff pic.twitter.com/eRj4Ee68Kz
3. DULUTH PLAYOFF PICTURE
The top-seeded Badgers face the lowest remaining seed in the semi-final after defeating Bemidji State in the WCHA First Round last week. That opponent is the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.
Should the Badgers defeat the Bulldogs, they'll advance to the Final Faceoff tournament championship game, where they'd aim to protect their tournament title from last season, where they defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 6-3.
If Wisconsin advances to the final, they'll face the winner of the semifinal game between Minnesota and Ohio State that is slated for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
A win in the final game of the tournament comes with an automatic NCAA tournament bid.
4. SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Wisconsin has faced Minnesota Duluth, Ohio State and Minnesota four times each this season, for a combined record of 10-1-1.
Against Minnesota Duluth, Wisconsin has outscored the Bulldogs 17-6 across four games. Their most meeting, the Badgers overcame a 1-0 deficit in the third period to defeat the Bulldogs 2-1. Wisconsin is on a six-game win streak against the Bulldogs who will be playing in their home arena at AMSOIL in Duluth.
Wisconsin met Ohio State last year in the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game and won 6-3. Casey O'Brien and Laila Edwards both enjoyed two goals and two assists in that game while Kirsten Simms put together a goal and an assist. Just a freshman at the time, Ava McNaughton stopped 30 of 33 shots she faced to give Wisconsin the title.
The Golden Gophers and Badgers met during last year's tournament in the semi-final. Wisconsin advanced with a tough-fought 4-3 OT win. Lacey Eden scored the overtime game-winning goal as Simms scored two and O'Brien scored one. This season, the Badgers swept Minnesota on the season 4-0-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
5. BADGERS IMPRESS AHEAD OF WCHA YEARLY AWARDS
Wisconsin claimed all three finalist spots in this season ahead of the WCHA Yearly Awards Banquet that will take place on Thursday, March 6th. Laila Edwards, Casey O'Brien and Kirsten Simms were named finalists for the WCHA Forward of the Year award. Caroline Harvey was a finalist for Defender of the Year while Ava McNaughton was named a finalist for Goaltender of the Year.
Additionally, O'Brien was named a finalist for WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year while Mark Johnson was designated a Coach of the Year Finalist.
To add to the accolades, eight Badgers were named to All-WCHA and WCHA All-Rookie teams. All three forwards selected for the All-WCHA First Team were Badgers, with Laila Edwards, Casey O'Brien and Kirsten Simms receiving the honors. They were joined on the first team by defender Caroline Harvey.
Senior forward Lacey Eden earned All-WCHA Second Team honors alongside sophomore netminder Ava McNaughton. Defender Laney Potter was named to the All-WCHA Third Team. Freshman forward Maggie Scannell earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
