Frozen Four: Ohio State and Wisconsin set to meet in final
The NCAA women’s national title game is set, with defending champion Ohio State looking to make it back-to-back titles against Wisconsin.
On the heels of the first national title in program history in 2022, the top-seeded Buckeyes beat Northeastern 3-0 to advance to the final on Sunday, setting up the chance to repeat. Ohio State will be joined in the final by Wisconsin, another WCHA team. The Badgers outlasted Minnesota in overtime, winning 3-2 on a goal from Caroline Harvey.
It all comes down to this. ?#WFrozenFour pic.twitter.com/0nMvs6oaeL
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 18, 2023
The national title game is Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNU and the ESPN app.
Subscribe to watch select games of the NCAA women’s hockey tournament, including the Frozen Four.
Below is a look at the final two teams, analysis by women’s college hockey experts Kelly Pannek and Clay Matvick, players to watch and a recap of the regional round.
Frozen Four schedule
All times Eastern
Semifinals, Friday
at Amsoil Arena, Duluth, Minnesota
Ohio State 3, Northeastern 0
Wisconsin 3, Minnesota 2 (OT)
National championship game, Sunday
at Amsoil Arena, Duluth, Minnesota (4 p.m., ESPNU)
Ohio State vs. Minnesota
Teams at a glance
Ohio State (33-5-2)
How they got here: Coming off a loss to Minnesota in the WCHA final, the defending national champs fell behind Quinnipiac 1-0 in their regional before snapping back into form in the second period. Fifth-year senior Gabby Rosenthal scored midway through the period to tie it and Lauren Bernard gave Ohio State the lead at the 16-minute mark. Patty Kazmaier Award finalist Sophie Jaques scored two goals in the third period, including an empty-netter, to secure the 5-2 win, sending the Buckeyes to their third straight Frozen Four.
In the semifinal, Ohio State jumped out to an early lead just 1:16 into the game against Northeastern on a goal by Sloane Matthews. Ohio State would add second-period goals from Makenna Webster and Hadley Hartmetz on the way to the 3-0 win. Goalie Amanda Thiele made 15 saves, recording her fourth shutout of the season.
Key stats: Ohio State finished with 44 shots on goal against Quinnipiac and outshot the Bobcats 24-3 in the second period. … Jaques scored her ninth power-play goal of the season, most in the nation, and set the WCHA record for career goals by a defenseman (61). … In the semifinal, the Buckeyes outshout the Huskies 53-15 … Northeastern didn’t have a shot on goal for the first nine minutes of the game.
Wisconsin (28-10-2)
How they got here: The Badgers had to win twice to make it back to the Frozen Four, following a 9-1 rout of Long Island in the first round with an impressive 4-2 win at No. 3 seed Colgate. In a matchup of two of the best offenses in the country, Wisconsin’s defense stole the show as the Badgers outshot Colgate 35-15.
In the semifinals, Wisconsin outlasted WCHA rival Minnesota, winning 3-2 on an OT goal from freshman Caroline Harvey. Minnesota held an early 1-0 lead before two third-period goals (Laila Edwards and Sophie Shirley) put Wisconsin in front. But Grace Zumwinkle tied the game for the Gophers with just over a minute left, sending it to an extra frame.
Key stats: This will be the fifth meeting of the season between Wisconsin and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes holding a 3-1 edge. Ohio State outscored Wisconsin 15-8 in the four games, with two of them decided in OT. … Two of Wisconsin’s three goals in the semifinal were scored by freshmen (Harvey and Edwards).
Two players to watch in the final
It seems like every team has at least two or three highly skilled players who will stand out to anyone watching, but these five players are key to their team’s success in the tournament.
Ohio State graduate defenseman Sophie Jaques. For the last two years, Jaques has led the nation in scoring by defensemen with numbers that rival those of the top forwards. She was held without a point in her last two games, and as a key to the Buckeyes’ league-leading power play, getting her on the scoresheet means good things for OSU.
Wisconsin junior forward Casey O’Brien. On a team with multiple Olympians, players with senior national team experience and a highly touted freshman class, O’Brien has consistently been one of the Badgers’ best players all season. Like so many others on her team, she has a ton of speed and can shoot the puck as well as anyone, but I feel she is at her best when she adds a tenacity and grit that makes her really fun to watch and is critical to her team’s success. — Kelly Pannek
Experts roundtable
Kelly Pannek, who helped Minnesota win two national titles (2015 and 2016), is a two-time Olympian, member of the U.S. national team and a PWHPA All-Star. ESPN’s Clay Matvick will be calling the Frozen Four broadcasts on ESPN+ and ESPNU.
What most impressed you from the regional round?
Kelly Pannek: Northeastern goaltender Gwyneth Philips had an impressive performance against the Yale Bulldogs to lead her team back to the Frozen Four. Phillips made 38 saves, with 17 of those saves coming in the 3rd period. When a goalie can have that type of performance in one of the biggest games of the season, it has to bring so much confidence to her team.
Clay Matvick: The continued defensive excellence of Northeastern. The Huskies haven’t allowed more than one goal in their last seven games. Their goaltending has been absolutely outstanding all season with Gwyneth Philips playing as well, and sometimes better, than her predecessor, Aerin Frankel. For coach Dave Flint, this is the last go-round with Alina Mueller, Chloé Aurard and Maureen Murphy. It’s a great chance for this group to go out in style.
Who is your pick to win the national title?
Pannek: I have to go with Minnesota. It is no secret that defense wins championships and I really like the way they have committed to the defensive side of the game throughout the playoffs. It also doesn’t hurt that they are getting scoring throughout their lineup and not just relying on one or two players to produce.
Matvick: Minnesota seems to be the team playing the most complete hockey right now. Offensively, they have an embarrassment of riches with the reigning Patty Kazmaier Award winner Taylor Heise and U.S. Olympians Abbey Murphy and Grace Zumwinkle, who is third in the country with 61 points. Five of their six defenders are seniors and Skylar Vetter has been a steady and sometimes electric goaltender. With Duluth right up the road from Minneapolis, the Gophers should have a lot of fan support too, so they’ll be very tough to beat.
Who is your pick to win the Patty Kazmaier Award?
Editor’s note: Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques was named the Patty Kaz winner Saturday.
Pannek: Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques. She has shown over the last two years how big of a threat she is, even as a defenseman. She has put up forward-like numbers offensively, while playing a ton of minutes against the opposition’s best players in a really strong league. Frankly, after the past two seasons, if she doesn’t win, I’m not sure what it would take for a defenseman to take home the award.
Matvick: Northeastern’s Alina Mueller has won a lot of awards and she’s accomplished a great deal both as collegiate player and Olympian. However, despite being a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award a record five times, she’s never won it. Mueller is the all-time leading scorer in Hockey East and she’s won the conference player of the year three times while guiding the Huskies to three straight Frozen Fours. After another spectacular year, in which she’s fourth in the country in goals and points, I think it’s her turn to win the Patty Kaz.
Regional results
All times Eastern
Regional semifinals, March 9
Quinnipiac 3, Penn State 2 (3 OT)
Wisconsin 9, Long Island 1
Minnesota Duluth 2, Clarkson 0
Regional finals, March 11
No. 5 Northeastern 4, No. 4 Yale 1
No. 6 Wisconsin 4, No. 3 Colgate 2
No. 2 Minnesota 3, No. 7 Minnesota Duluth 0
No. 1 Ohio State 5, No. 8 Quinnipiac 2
The field
Statistics entering the NCAA tournament
Ohio State
1:07
Why strength of schedule affected Ohio State’s Frozen Four seeding
Angela Ruggiero and Kendall Coyne Schofield discuss why Ohio State’s tougher schedule propelled it to the No. 1 seed in the Women’s Frozen Four.
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Minnesota 3-1 in WCHA final)
Numbers to know: The dominant Buckeyes are second in the country in scoring offense (4.39 goals per game) and eighth in scoring defense (1.78). Ohio State’s power play has converted at a .344 clip, best in the NCAA. This is the second straight 30-win season for the defending national champs.
Kelly Pannek’s take: Ohio State has played all season like a team that is ready to defend its national championship. The Buckeyes are a strong, physical team with skill and speed to match. They are coming off a loss in the WCHA tournament championship, but I have no doubt that they will find a way to use that in their favor. They are the team to beat.
Minnesota
How they got in: WCHA tournament champion
Numbers to know: Minnesota has the best offense in the country, scoring nearly five goals (4.71) per game. Taylor Heise, the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award winner as national player of the year, leads the NCAA with 29 goals and 1.77 points per game and also has a .635 faceoff percentage. The Gophers were 3-1-1 against No. 1 seed Ohio State this season.
Pannek’s take: This feels like a must-win year for the Gophers, with their last national championship coming seven years ago. They have all the firepower up front and just showed they are willing to do the dirty work on defense in winning the WCHA tournament. If Minnesota can continue to back up its potent offense with stingy defense, it will be a tough team to beat.
Colgate (32-5-2)
How they got in: ECAC tournament champion
Numbers to know: Colgate is 2-0 against Yale, handing the Bulldogs their only two regular-season losses. Senior Danielle Serdachny leads the nation with 43 assists and 65 points.
Pannek’s take: With statement wins on its way to clinching the ECAC tournament title, Colgate may be peaking at the right time. The Raiders have played a tough schedule all season and are stronger for it. With Colgate showing great balance on both sides of the puck, and some early postseason success added to the mix, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Raiders in Duluth.
Yale (28-3-1)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Clarkson 4-3 in ECAC semifinal)
Numbers to know: Junior Elle Hartje leads the nation with 1.19 assists per game (37 in 31 games). Sophomore goalie Pia Dukaric is second in the country with a 1.29 GAA and third with a .939 save percentage. Yale is fourth in scoring offense (4.13 goals per game) and second in scoring defense (1.32).
Pannek’s take: Yale has been a top team all year in a strong ECAC conference. People forget that this team was a Frozen Four team last season and the Bulldogs have backed it up with their performance this year. With a semifinal loss to Clarkson in the ECAC tournament, the Bulldogs need to get the momentum back early in the NCAA tournament.
Northeastern
How they got in: Hockey East tournament champion
Numbers to know: Northeastern has allowed only 30 goals in 35 games, with senior goaltender Gwyneth Philips leading the nation in goals-against average (0.83) and save percentage (.960). Graduate student Alina Mueller has a plus-45 plus/minus, and the Huskies are 28-0-0 this season when she scores a point.
Pannek’s take: Making its sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, Northeastern is the team to beat in Hockey East. This group has a strong veteran core, led by three-time Hockey East Player of the Year Alina Mueller. With lots of playoff experience and leaders who are hungry to get the program’s first national championship, this may be the year Northeastern breaks through.
Wisconsin
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Minnesota 4-2 in WCHA semifinal)
Numbers to know: This is Wisconsin’s 10th straight NCAA appearance, the longest active streak in the country. The Badgers were 2-0-2 in the regular season against league champion Minnesota. Wisconsin is top five in the country in both scoring offense (third, 4.17) and scoring defense (fifth, 1.61).
Pannek’s take: Halfway through the season it looked as if Wisconsin may not even make the NCAA tournament, but with a strong finish to the regular season, the Badgers are back to being the type of team we expect to see in Madison. Wisconsin is loaded with talent, and it looks like they may be reaching their fullest potential at the right time to make a strong NCAA run.
Minnesota Duluth (25-9-3)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Ohio State 2-1 in WCHA semifinal)
Numbers to know: Minnesota Duluth was 1-4 this season against top seed Ohio State, but all five games were decided by one goal (two in overtime). The Bulldogs have 13 shutouts on the season, tops in the country.
Pannek’s take: UMD always makes noise come playoff time, and I anticipate this NCAA tournament to be no different. Graduate Emma Soderberg is one of the best and most experienced goaltenders in the country, and in front of her is a mature team that has made deep tournament runs. With Duluth being the host of this year’s Frozen Four, I have no doubt that the Bulldogs will do everything they can to be there.
Quinnipiac (29-9-0)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Colgate 5-1 in ECAC semifinal)
Numbers to know: Quinnipiac is fourth in the nation in scoring defense (1.51) and fourth in team faceoff percentage (.559). The Bobcats are 6-6 over their last 12 games.
Pannek’s take: Quinnipiac has turned its program around in the past few years and is making its second straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Bobcats started the season off strong with a 10-game win streak, but haven’t shown the same consistency in the second half. One thing that is crucial to Quinnipiac’s tournament success is its penalty kill, which is second in the country at 92%.
Penn State (27-8-2)
How they got in: CHA tournament champion
Numbers to know: Kiara Zanon is tied for fourth in the country with 25 goals and has an NCAA-best five short-handed goals. This is Penn State coach Jeff Kampersal’s third NCAA appearance (Princeton, 2006, 2016).
Pannek’s take: Penn State is making its NCAA tournament debut after promising regular-season showings the past couple of years. The Nittany Lions are led by highly talented forwards junior Kiara Zanon and freshman Tessa Janecke, and junior goalie Josie Bothun can steal games. The Nittany Lions may have a tough road to the Frozen Four, but they have a chance to solidify themselves as a perennial challenger.
Clarkson (29-10-2)
How they got in: At-large bid (lost to Colgate 8-2 in ECAC final)
Numbers to know: Clarkson goalie Michelle Pasiechnyk is fourth in the country with a 1.45 GAA. The Golden Knights scored two big late-season wins, beating Quinnipiac to end the regular season and knocking off Yale in double overtime in the ECAC tournament.
Pannek’s take: Although it has been a few years since their last trip to the Frozen Four, the Golden Knights are no stranger to postseason success (11 NCAA appearances). In comparison to other teams in the field, Clarkson is toward the bottom for both offensive and defensive statistics, so to make a push, it will need to be firing on all cylinders — as the Knights were in beating Yale in the ECAC tournament.
Long Island (20-13-3)
How they got in: NEWHA tournament champion
Numbers to know: In its fourth season of competition, Long Island posted its first 20-win season. Goalie Tindra Holm has the fifth-best save percentage in the country at .937.
Pannek’s take: As the team representing the newest league in Division I women’s hockey, Long Island will have its work cut out for it here. The Sharks will need an extraordinary performance between the pipes from sophomore Holm and capitalize on any opportunities they get in the offensive end if they want to keep their run going.
Players to watch
It seems like every team has at least two or three highly skilled players who will stand out to anyone watching, but these five players are key to their team’s success in the tournament.
Minnesota sophomore goalie Skylar Vetter. Vetter has shown stretches of dominance this season on her way to being a top-three finalist for WCHA goalie of the year. On a team with the highest scoring offense in the tournament but one of the worst goals against per game average, Vetter has the opportunity to set the defensive tone for her team.
Ohio State graduate defenseman Sophie Jaques. For the last two years, Jaques has led the nation in scoring by defensemen with numbers that rival those of the top forwards. She was held without a point in her last two games, and as a key to the Buckeyes’ league-leading power play, getting her on the scoresheet means good things for OSU.
Colgate senior forward Danielle Serdachny. The leading scorer in the country, Serdachny is coming off an outstanding ECAC tournament performance where she recorded four goals and five assists in five games. A well-rounded center with a ton of skill, Serdachny is a player you expect to see shine in big moments.
Northeastern graduate forward Maureen Murphy. Playing on a line with Alina Mueller, Murphy doesn’t always get the recognition she deserves as a key piece to her team’s success. Murphy is a gritty forward who skates well and can finish. She has scored some big goals for Northeastern in past seasons, and I’m sure she’s ready to add more.
Wisconsin junior forward Casey O’Brien. On a team with multiple Olympians, players with senior national team experience and a highly touted freshman class, O’Brien has consistently been one of the Badgers’ best players all season. Like so many others on her team, she has a ton of speed and can shoot the puck as well as anyone, but I feel she is at her best when she adds a tenacity and grit that makes her really fun to watch and is critical to her team’s success. — Kelly Pannek
Seven of eight first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have begun, and No. 8 gets rolling on Tuesday.
The Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers begins anew (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), with both clubs looking like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender if they can survive the intrastate showdown.
Cats-Bolts is the third game of four Tuesday on the ESPN family of networks, following New Jersey–Carolina (6 p.m. ET, ESPN) and Ottawa–Toronto (7:30 p.m., ESPN2), and preceding the nightcap, Minnesota–Vegas (11 p.m. ET, ESPN).
What are the key storylines heading into Tuesday’s games? Who are the key players to watch?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down Monday night, and the Three Stars of Monday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 2 (CAR leads 1-0) | 6 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game 1 sure did not go as planned for the Devils. A win at the legendarily loud Lenovo Center would’ve been stretching it, but losing Brenden Dillon, Cody Glass and Luke Hughes to injury was not an ideal outcome either.
They’ll hope to rebound Tuesday before the series shifts to Newark. Closing the shot attempt differential might help, as the famously possession-savvy Hurricanes held a 45-24 edge on shots on goal in Game 1.
For years, the knock on Carolina was that it lacked that one goal scorer who could get the Canes over the hump in the playoffs. Many observers thought the Canes had acquired such a player in Mikko Rantanen in January. Ironically, it was the player Carolina acquired in its subsequent trade of Rantanen to Dallas — Logan Stankoven — who scored two goals in Game 1. Will he add to that total in Game 2?
Of note heading into Tuesday’s game, the Devils have come back to win a playoff series after losing the first game 11 out of 26 times (42%); that figure drops to 20% if they fall behind 0-2. The Hurricanes have won six of their past seven series after winning Game 1.
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 2 (TOR leads 1-0) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
The atmosphere was intense for Game 1, and the Maple Leafs’ “Core Four” led the way: Mitch Marner (one goal, two assists), William Nylander (one goal, one assist), John Tavares (one goal, one assist) and Auston Matthews (two assists) each filled up the scoresheet. A continuation of that output will obviously help Toronto overwhelm its provincial neighbor.
Slowing down the Maple Leafs could depend on discipline, according to Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk. “We took too many penalties, they scored on [them] and that’s the game,” Tkachuk told reporters after Game 1. “So that’s on us. We’ve got to be more disciplined.”
The Sens will also need to capitalize on their chances. According to Stathletes, Ottawa had five high-danger scoring chances in this game, and produced only two goals.
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 1 | 8:30 p.m ET | ESPN
This is the fourth time that the two Sunshine State franchises have met in the postseason, and all four of the meetings have occurred since 2021.
In each instance, the winner of the series has gone on to reach the Stanley Cup Final — Lightning in 2021 and 2022; Panthers in 2024 — while the 2021 Lightning and 2024 Panthers won it all.
Unsurprisingly, Nikita Kucherov is Tampa Bay’s leading scorer against Florida, with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 15 games. Aleksander Barkov is the Panthers’ leading scorer against the Lightning, with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 15 games.
The two teams split their meetings in the regular season, with the Lightning winning the most recent, 5-1 on April 15.
Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights
Game 2 (VGK leads 1-0) | 11 p.m. ET | ESPN
The underdog Wild set a physical tone to the series in Game 1, outhitting the Golden Knights 54-29, but the hosts emerged with a 4-2 victory. Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden (two) were the goal scorers for Vegas, and Matt Boldy was responsible for both Minnesota goals.
Howden, who had never scored double-digit goals until his 23 this season, earned praise from coach Bruce Cassidy after Game 1. “He didn’t change his game,” Cassidy told reporters. “He played physical. He’s part of our penalty kill. He’s always out when the goalie’s out, typically one of the six guys we use a lot because of his versatility. He can play wing. He can take draws as a center. He’s been real good for us all year and good again tonight.”
Sunday’s game was the NHL debut for 2024 first-round pick Zeev Buium, who just finished his season with the University of Denver. He played 13 minutes, 37 seconds and finished with one shot on goal.
Arda’s Three Stars of Monday
The greatest goal scorer in NHL history just keeps finding the back of the net. He had two goals, including the overtime winner, as the Caps take Game 1 3-2 despite a valiant third period effort from Montreal to send it to the extra frame.
Connor had the game-winning goal in the third period for the second straight game, as Winnipeg takes both games at home for the 2-0 series lead on the Blues.
Further proof that the Oilers are never out of the game, McDavid helped erase a 4-0 deficit with a goal and three assists, despite the Oilers falling 6-5 late in a thrilling Game 1.
Monday’s scores
Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
Washington leads 1-0
Much of the regular season was spent focused on Alex Ovechkin‘s “Gr8 Chase” of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record, and he scored historic goal No. 895 on Sunday, April 6. It turns out, Ovi likes the spotlight. The Capitals superstar opened the scoring in the game, and bookended it with the overtime winner — his first ever, believe it or not — as the Caps survived a thriller in Game 1, following Nick Suzuki‘s tying goal with 4:15 remaining. Full recap.
1:51
Alex Ovechkin’s OT goal wins Game 1 for Capitals
Alex Ovechkin’s second goal of the game is an overtime winner that gives the Capitals a 1-0 series lead vs. the Canadiens.
Jets 2, Blues 1
Winnipeg leads 2-0
Game 1 between the two clubs was tightly contested until the Jets took over in the third period. That trend took hold again on Monday — the score remained tied into 1-1 the third period, when Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor scored at the 1:43 mark, and the Jets were able to hold the Blues off the scoreboard for the duration. Connor’s linemate Mark Scheifele assisted on the game-winner and opened the scoring, giving him a league-leading five points this postseason. Full recap.
0:40
Kyle Connor scores clutch goal to put Jets ahead in 3rd period
Kyle Connor extends Winnipeg’s lead after a clutch goal early in the 3rd period vs. St. Louis.
Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT)
Series tied 1-1
The series that every observer thought would be the closest in the first round didn’t look that way in Game 1, as the Avs ran over the Stars en route to a 5-1 win. Game 2 was much more in line with expectations, as the two Western powerhouses needed OT to settle things. Colin Blackwell was the hero for Dallas, scoring with 2:14 remaining in the first OT period. Full recap.
0:50
Colin Blackwell comes up with big OT winner for Stars
Colin Blackwell sends the Stars faithful into jubilation with a great overtime winner to tie the series at 1-1 vs. the Avalanche.
Kings 6, Oilers 5
Los Angeles leads 1-0
Monday’s nightcap was a delight to those who like offensive hockey and were willing to stay up late. The Kings roared out to a four-goal lead late in the second period before Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl scored to pull within three with six seconds remaining. The two teams traded goals to start the third, before the Oilers notched three in a row to tie up the festivities with 1:28 remaining on Connor McDavid‘s first of the 2025 playoffs. L.A.’s Phillip Danault sent his club’s fans home happy, scoring the pivotal goal with 42 seconds left. Full recap.
0:46
Kings retake lead on Phillip Danault’s goal in final minute
Phillip Danault restores the lead for the Kings with a goal vs. the Oilers in the closing moments.
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