Women’s Ice Hockey: Kirk’s journey from third-string transfer to national championship hero

Reid Murray
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:37:00 +0000
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Senior goaltender Raygan Kirk discusses her national championship shutout at the Frozen Four press conference on Sunday in Durham, New Hampshire. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

In May 2021, Raygan Kirk needed to find a new home.

Her team at Robert Morris University had just dissolved its women’s and men’s ice hockey programs to cut costs. Three years later, after landing at Ohio State, the senior goaltender recorded a shutout in her final collegiate game to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 national championship victory on Sunday in Durham, New Hampshire.

“Freshman year, I don’t think I would believe that I would be sitting here today,” Kirk said.

Even after finding her home with the Buckeyes, Kirk’s road to becoming the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player was long and bumpy. Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said she was happy to add Kirk to her roster in 2021 but could not guarantee her playing time.

“When we were recruiting her, we knew of her value and how great she was,” Muzerall said. “She was very interested in us, and I had to be real with her and say, ‘Hey, we have two goalies that fight for No. 1 right now. You’d be coming in as three or four, and if you want that position, it’s fine, but you’re going to have to work for the No. 1 spot.’ She’s done that so well over the past couple of years, and to win a title with a shoutout just shows her character and commitment to persevere.”

In her first season with Ohio State, Kirk made three appearances and allowed four goals, saving 85.7% of the shots she faced.

Kirk sat behind Amanda Thiele — who made 22 appearances, including Ohio State’s first national championship win against Minnesota Duluth — and Andrea Braendli, who played 11 games.

The next two seasons, after Braendli’s graduation and transfer to Boston University, Kirk split time in net with Thiele. Kirk and Thiele both earned Western Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week honors multiple times while sharing the crease, but only one could start in the postseason.

In 2022-23, Thiele got the nod after posting a lower goals-against average and a higher save percentage. This season, it was Kirk, after the senior goaltender earned All-WCHA second-team honors with six regular-season shutouts.

“It was really tough,” Muzerall said during the WCHA tournament quarterfinals on March 2. “We have four goaltenders, and there’s tough competition, especially between Thiele and Kirk, and that’s what makes all four of them grow tougher and stronger. Kirk just was very steady this year, and we spoke as a staff, and we decided to give her the push.”

From then on, Kirk did not look back. She recorded four postseason shutouts with a .942 save percentage, and when the lights shined brightest, she brought her best.

Kirk made 26 saves in the national title game against Wisconsin, which is the second-highest-scoring offense in the country. She had to fend off shots from Badger stars like Patty Kazmaier Award finalists Kirsten Simms and Casey O’Brien — all without graduate defenseman Hadley Hartmetz, who left the game with an injury in the second period.

In the most tense moments, Kirk said she relied on her preparation.

“You have to give them credit,” Kirk said. “That was probably the best defense we’ve played. But for me, I practiced breakaways yesterday. You know it’s going to happen, and it’s just the repetition and being confident in your selection of a save and your read.”

With 7:12 left in regulation Sunday, freshman forward Joy Dunne scored the game’s first and only goal. While Buckeye fans celebrated, Kirk knew the team was still counting on her to keep the lead.

“For me, whenever we score, I just remind myself, ‘You have to work even harder now,’” Kirk said. “Especially that last few minutes in the game, just keeping the rhythm and the checklist I keep for myself to stay mentally engaged, even though the clock’s ticking down and they’re gonna pull the goalie.”

In the final seven minutes of championship play, Kirk made three saves and had one shot blocked by sophomore defenseman Emma Peschel to cap off the shutout. After securing the victory, Kirk gave credit to the team’s hunger for redemption after losing to Wisconsin in last year’s championship 1-0.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Kirk said. “It was a tough one last year, and I think everyone’s had a chip on their shoulder this year, the revenge tour, you might want to call it, or even just how much work we put in, day in and day out. It just means so much — I’m just so proud of everyone.”