Ohio State Women's Hockey 2025-26

[Lindsay]

FWIW one thing that is still missing from the women’s hockey landscape is a book about or by the best women’s hockey coaches. Hint hint universe

 

[robertearle]

Good points, and I can't remember the UW timeout status from 2025 either. I tried to sort through the "math" of Johnson's decision last year in my head. On the one hand, because the clock had wound down under 20 seconds, it tilts in favor of rolling the dice on the challenge. On the other, because UW was on the PP and would have still been able to use the EA advantage, the chance of scoring on a 6-on-4 with 18+ seconds left is better than negligible. Assuming UW didn't still have the TO, then what shifts the situation to "challenge" is the certainty that Edwards had that an infraction had been committed in real time.

I looked at the play-by-play box score for last year's game. It lists Ohio State as having used their timeout with five minutes remaining in the third period, but does NOT show Wisconsin as having called their timeout. So UW would still have been six-on-four for the last 19 seconds. No-brainer decision to challenge.

 

[HighToTheGloveSide]

Next season you've got a strong team and I think Dunne is the PK favorite. I know Wisconsin will be the preseason number one but your team should be.

I'd be shocked if Bucky was ranked ahead of OSU - the Buckeyes return a strong group. The only position group that Wisconsin will have an edge in is goaltending with McNaughton back.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Top Five Memories of the 2026 Frozen Four

#5 Host City & Campus​

In the gloom of Sunday evening, when I asked myself what the Top 5 Memories were, my first thought was: That's easy. Our Penn State hosts get #1 through #5. Project complete. But with the dawn of Monday morning, a better perspective emerged. (Thanks to robertearle for the highly relevant MJ quote.) Penn State & State College, PA clearly earned a place on my list. But hey. It's about the Hockey. So our host checks in at #5.

Quick flashback to 2022. Our base of operations? Altoona, PA. Nothing wrong with Altoona at all. Nice hotel at an affordable rate. Huge sports bar that accommodated our desire to watch the B1G Men's Hockey Title Game on the Saturday off day. Watched the whole game on a desirable screen -- in the midst of all the hoops insanity. So Altoona did its job. But then there was that commute. We saw the games. We saw Pegula. But the rest of Penn State? Not so much.

This time we were based at the Fairfield Inn on North Atherton Street. Much, much better to be in town. Lots of options up and down Atherton. We also made it Downtown. A sampling of the places we enjoyed:

Otto's Pub & Brewery, 2235 N Atherton St, State College, PA 16803
Craft Brewery; we enjoyed the IPAs and Ales tried. Everyone agreed that the selections were unusually good. Creative menu. Plenty of options for carnivores & vegetarians alike. We enjoyed the "Make Your Mac & Cheese" options. Everyone could pick their own options, again carnivore & vegetarian alike.

Champs, Atherton Street Location
OK, it's a chain. There's probably a Champs in your city, if not multiple locations. But hey; it's open late. That saved us a couple of times. Among other things, they offer a fully satisfactory pizza menu for late night diners.

Corner Room Restaurant, 100 W. College Avenue, State College, PA, 16801 (Downtown)
A long time Penn State Tradition. The location was originally a roadhouse in the 1800's. Rebranded the Corner Room in 1926. Lots of history on the walls. We checked out a menu from 1935. Now that's an affordable menu! Dinner options? The GRILLED CHEESE & TOMATO SOUP DIPPER worked out well for me in the rainy gloom of Sunday evening.

The Squirrel & Acorn Bookstore, 103 S Allen St, State College, PA 16801
Disclaimer: I personally didn't go. But ask one of our group members, and she'll give it her strongest recommendation. Note that her analysis is based on a comparison of four State College Bookstores. Located across the street from the Corner Room.

Bottom Line? Penn State was a good time. Hope PSU lands another tournament before too long.


Up Next: #4 Badgers Persevere & Top Nittany Lions In Overtime.

 

[KTDC]

It's striking to me the vitriol Muzzy inspires in non-Buckeye fans.

I could read her lips when ESPN came back from commercial break shortly after Ohio State tied the game and she was saying something to her players like "you've got to believe in yourselves and each other". Sure, out of context it's a bit cliche, lol, but the timing and the way she said it appeared to have her team enthralled and believing.

The criticism that the time-out was bad and the challenge was bad, sure... maybe? But she appears to be all about the passion with her team, as opposed to say, I don't know, Mark Johnson? They are both great, right? At the bench after the scrum her player was passionate stating her belief a challenge would work. Maybe Nadine learned a lesson and would not listen to her player again in that situation. But maybe she figures she and her players live and die together and she's going to listen to her player and she would do it all over again. The record is clear that Muzzy's teams don't always die but sometimes are the ones standing alone and alive when it's all over.

These Ohio State-Wisconsin championship games have been really good games and the Buckeyes play crazy hard a lot of the time, and they do interesting things in the offensive zone, and they go for it!!