Minneapolis Mark Johnson spent part of Sunday afternoon thinking about the sides of the emotional spectrum with which he could be confronted a few hours later.
The Hockey coach of the University of Wisconsin has won many NCAA champion matches, but he has also lost four. There is a gap between the feelings of excavation on one side and of extreme depression on the other.
Many of his players also experienced a different feelings in the last match in each of the previous two seasons a victory in the championship game in 2023, but a defeat at that location last year.
By Sunday evening, while the badgers prepared for a jubilant bus ride home, Johnson spent time thinking about the big whole.
“I don't think we played one of our better games, but … they have discovered how to get to the finish,” he said after a 4-3 overtime victory to Ohio State in the last game of the season. “As I have always said, it always comes on Monday. Well, Monday will come tomorrow and we have the national trophy of the championship back in Madtown, so it's a good day.”
People also read …
There have been a few challenging days for the badgers. Johnson said that the mother of associated head coach has had Health problems, just like goalkeeper Mark Greenhalgh.
He prepared for parts of that bus ride to be emotional, because players of badgers and employees walked out of the high of scoring in the last minute of regulation to bind the buckeyes and then win in the extra session.
“The nice thing is that all the things we have experienced, whether they were with our team or that it was personally with myself or my staff, it was all worthwhile,” said Johnson.
The team of this season, which has produced most victories in the history of a program that will soon have eight NCAA Championship banners who hang in Labahn Arena, Willhave a special place in Badgers Lore, especially because of the way in which Sunday's game ended.
A hectic push through the badgers for a draw in the last minute of the Regulation, the Puck left in the fold for the purpose of the state of Ohio, where Buckeyes forwards Maddi Wheeler her hand over the disk. That gave the badgers a penalty shot after referees saw the violation of a video -recalcation initiated by Wisconsin.
Kirsten Simms scored her 24th goal of the season on the 1-on-1 chance and made it 25 with the goal less than three minutes after the extension.
The ties were almost short at the end of a remarkable season in which they set the team record for scored goals (221) and looked at the team records for career assists and points, as well as the seasonal record for Points Fall. Casey O'Brien received those individual traces and took home the sixth Patty Kazmaier prize as a reward on Saturday.
After the 1-0 loss of last season, O'Brien said to Ohio State in the NCAA title game that she never wanted to feel that way again. She didn't need Sunday, but it was still bittersweet for the fifth -year center that played in her last collegial match.
“The fact that it is, yes, it is a high tone, but it is also very sad that it is over,” said O'Brien. “I will never wear the sweater with these girls again. But it's the best way to go out.”
The badgers ended the season with a 27-game undefeated streak, bound by the team record with the 2010-11 group that Johnson earned his fourth title in a period of six years. The closure of the NCAA tournament 2020 Covid complicates the comparative language, but the badgers won another four titles in a six-tournament piece.
“This is such an incredible group, and that is all I can think of, how talented this group has been from the first day and that we could do the job today,” Simms said.
“I think it really comes down to consistency,” said goalkeeper Ava McNaughton, badgers. “It is such a long season and to win so many games and to win these big competitions time and time again at the end of the season, is something that costs consistency.”
Johnson sustained the bank for Sunday's game and was impressed by the number of badgers fans present. There has never been a Frozen Four for women in Madison, but if someone wanted to know what someone would look and sound like, this was a suitable example.
“I can't thank them enough,” said Johnson about the fans of Wisconsin. “We certainly entertained them today. It was a great day and very nice.”
Photos: Wisconsin Women's Hockey wins National Championship

The Wisconsin team gathered for a group portrait with the National Championship Trophy after the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament against Ohio State, Sunday 23 March 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

The Wisconsin team gathered for a group portrait with the National Championship Trophy after the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament against Ohio State, Sunday 23 March 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

Wisconsin players give head coach Mark Johnson an ice water bath after the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Hockey Tournament against Ohio State, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

Wisconsin -attacker Kirsten Simms (27) is harassed by her teammates after scoring the winning goal in the extension of the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament against Ohio State, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

The Wisconsin team gathered for a group portrait with the National Championship Trophy after the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament against Ohio State, Sunday 23 March 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

Wisconsin attacker Kirsten Simms (27) slides the puck past the goalkeeper of Ohio State Amanda Thiele (30) on a penalty shot in the third period of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

Wisconsin -attacker Kirsten Simms (27) celebrates after scoring the goalkeeper of Ohio State Amanda Thiele (30) on a penalty shot in the third period of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP)
Jeff Wheeler

Staatstaat from Ohio Sloane Matthews, third from the right, is congratulated by attacker Jenna Buglioni (10) and defender Mira Jungker (14) after she scored against Wisconsin in the first period of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Hockey Tournament.
Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune

Staatstaat Joy Dunne Scores by Ohio against Wisconsin -goalkeeper Ava McNaughton In the first period of the champion match of the Womens Frozen Four NCAA College Hockey Tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025 in Minneapolis.
Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune

State defender in Ohio Riley Brengman, on the left, joins Forward Joy Dunne to celebrate after Dunne scored against Badgers -goalkeeper Ava McNaughton in the first period Sunday.
Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune