Wisconsin hockey star Kirsten Simms had a Hollywood movie-like performance on Sunday, lifting the Badgers to a 4-3 overtime victory over Ohio State in the Frozen Four championship game.
The Badgers were on thin ice (pun intended) when Emma Peschel’s second-period goal put the defending champion Buckeyes up 3-1 in the second period. Caroline Harvey answered back to cut the lead in half heading into the second intermission.
And with that, the stage was set for Kirsten Simms to cement herself as an all-time Wisconsin Badgers hero.
Trailing 3-2 with 18.9 seconds left in the third period, the Badgers were awarded a penalty shot when Buckeyes forward Maddi Wheeler covered the puck in the crease to prevent a goal.
Cameras caught Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson asking his players who wanted the penalty shot, with all the pressure on the line. Kirsten Simms immediately put her hand up.
18 seconds to go, trailing by 1 goal, National Championship, penalty shot, coach asks “who wants it?” and Kirsten Simms’ hand shoots straight up.
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 24, 2025
ONIONS 😤 pic.twitter.com/nOmFmfPOm4
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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KIRSTEN SIMMS TIES UP THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH 18.9 SECONDS REMAINING 😱
— ESPN (@espn) March 23, 2025
OVERTIME ON ESPNU NOW 🍿 pic.twitter.com/jwxx3Lx4Et
Following a similar script to Canadian icon Marie-Philip Poulin in the 2014 Canada-USA women’s ice hockey Olympic gold medal game, Simms’ late third-period heroics allowed her to take the “clutch gene” thing to another level in overtime:
THE BADGERS ARE BRINGING THE NATTY HOME! 🏆@simmsy0427 scores the OT winner for the Badgers!#WFrozenFour x 🎥 ESPNU / @BadgerWHockey pic.twitter.com/Z9KYsUGhom
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 23, 2025
Philip-Poulin scored the game-tying goal late in regulation against the United States in the 2014 gold medal game before winning it in overtime. It was a different stage, but Simms orchestrated an eerily similar storyline finish.
Kirsten Simms Adds To Wisconsin Hockey Dynasty
Simms’ heroics over Ohio State denied the Buckeyes’ of the historic three-peat. Not only that, but her golden goal adds another legendary chapter to the Wisconsin hockey dynasty under coach Johnson.
The Badgers have now won their third national championship in just five years. With eight national titles in the trophy room, they’re now two up on Minnesota Duluth (six) for the most in NCAA women’s hockey.
