Top-ranked Badgers women's hockey rallies from two-goal deficit to top No. 2 Ohio State

Wisconsin remains perfect in the 2024-25 season.

Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson (center) and the Badgers women's hockey team follow the action in their national semifinal against Colgate at Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, N.H., on Friday, March 22, 2024. / Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The last time the Badgers women's hockey team took the ice against Ohio State, it ended in heartbreak as a late third-period goal had the Buckeyes leaving the rink as national champions after a 1-0 victory on March 24 in Durham, N.H.

It was only fitting the top-ranked Badgers would get some revenge Friday. Eden Lacey scored a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period as Wisconsin rallied from a two-goal deficit in a 4-2 win over No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

It wasn't looking so good early on for the Badgers (13-0-0). The Buckeyes (11-3-2) got first-period goals from Maddi Wheeler and Jenna Buglioni just 14 seconds apart as Ohio State took the commanding two-goal advantage.

But Wisconsin slowly worked its way back into the game. Lacey scored her first of the night 4 minutes, 49 seconds into the second period to cut the deficit to one. Casey O'Brien added another 11 minutes, 53 seconds into the frame to knot it.

Then Lacey got the go-ahead tally, and Caroline Harvey added an empty-netter with eight seconds remaining to ice it.

Wisconsin goaltender Ava McNaughton provided plenty of help with 31 saves on 33 shots. She outdueled Buckeyes goaltender Amanda Thiele, who had 18 saves on 21 shots.

The Badgers and Buckeyes meet for the second of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday.