MADISON — The battle of the top two teams in the country went to Wisconsin as they defeated Ohio State 2-1 in overtime on Saturday for their second win of the weekend. The Buckeyes do get an extra point in conference standings for taking the game to OT.
In a game with a number of impressive forwards on both sides of the ice, it was senior defender Nicole LaMantia who took control for the Badgers, tallying her first career multi-goal game and netting her first-ever overtime goal to get Wisconsin the win.
“I don’t think in my career I’ve ever scored an overtime goal, so it’s pretty surreal,” said LaMantia.
With all the extra open ice in 3-on-3, the Badgers had the time and space to move the puck that the Buckeyes had effectively taken away during regulation play. LaMantia got the puck from Shirley outside the faceoff dot, but started to move to the top of the zone as defender Riley Brengman backed off a bit.
“I saw it wide open there. I was actually going to fake and go to Sophie (Shirley) and then I saw the corner open and I just tried to put it there again,” LaMantia said.
It was almost the exact same placement as the goal LaMantia scored late in the first to tie the game and put Wisconsin on the board. She had noticed that spot was often open with Andrea Braendli in net when she watched video this week and was able to pick it out twice.
Badger goalie Kennedy Blair said she has seen LaMantia work on her shooting during extra ice sessions during the week, noting that LaMantia has one of the hardest shots on the squad.
Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson likened 3-on-3 to pond hockey and talked about the strategy of putting a mix of forwards and defenders on the ice together. Though she has only scored eight goals with the Badgers, she now has three in the past three games.
“Offense is the biggest strength I have, so I just try to use it and use my vision,” she said.
It was a tough weekend for the Buckeyes, but despite the losses, coach Nadine Muzerall said it was an important weekend for her players to really learn they really do belong in the conversation for the top team in the country.
“Today really proved who the #1 and #2 in the country is and I think there’s a gap after that,” she said. “I think we learned that we can be #1 and that we should have that desire and that swag to be number one. It’s going to require work, of course. With so many new players on this team and a lot not playing in this league maybe had some doubt or just didn’t know.”
Beyond the results, both coaches expressed how much learning and confidence comes from games like this at this point in the season.
“I was hard on them after yesterday’s game. They responded. As a coach, that demonstrates their character and their will to punch back. I really appreciate what they did today and they did it together,” said Muzerall.
The game was a tough defensive matchup, with both goalies providing stellar play in net to help keep their team in the game. The squads traded odd-player rushes and both Braendli and Blair made a number of point-blank saves.
Muzerall thinks Braendli showed why she should be a front-runner for the Patty Kazmaier award and also noted that Blair played one of the best games Muzerall had ever seen from her. Johnson agreed.
“Kennedy really gave us a chance to do what we did today,” said Johnson. “She challenged them in those breakdowns that we had. She was why we got to the end 1-1. They had some grade-A chances.”
The weekend wins cap off a tough ten days for the Badgers where they played two top-ten teams and came out with wins. After a relatively easier start to the year, things ramped up quickly for the team. But Blair said the team was able to succeed because of the preparation they’ve done.
“I think it comes down to the conditioning. I think last weekend pushed us to get better this past week. Last weekend really helped us succeed this weekend,” she said.
Wisconsin got on the board first in this one on a long-distance shot from LaMantia that made its way through traffic and into the back of the net
Ohio State responded less than two minutes later as Gabby Rosenthal carried the puck through the neutral zone and on net, skating past Badger defender Chayla Edwards and cutting in on Wisconsin goalie Kennedy Blair’s right side before sniping her shot in the far top corner
The rest of the game showcased the puck control, forecheck, passing, defense and skills of these two teams. Both squads had multiple chances to put their team ahead, but the goalies stood strong and the Badgers came out victorious in this first battle of the season.
But Muzerall knows that this is just a beginning.
“(Wisconsin) found a way to win, but we will find a way to punch back next time, at home.”
