After a successful regular season, the Ohio State women’s hockey team opens up the WCHA Final Five tournament tonight against Bemidji State in Grand Forks, N.D.
The Buckeyes, who finished 11-20-3 and is seeded No. 4 in the tournament, will face the same Beaver team it closed out its regular season with last weekend at the OSU Ice Rink.
This is the fourth consecutive appearance in the Final Five for OSU — which has made the tournament every year since becoming a team in 1999.
OSU clinched its spot in the tournament after sweeping Minnesota State on Feb. 14 and 15. The Buckeyes then earned their seed after achieving a tie and a victory in the season’s final series against Bemidji State.
“We have a positive outlook coming off of the win over Bemidji,” said center Jennifer Desson, who had the Buckeyes’ second hat trick of the season against Bemidji State Saturday.
OSU has had good luck entering the Final Five in the past. They have won every first-round game they’ve played.
“We have to take care of business and win that first game,” said OSU coach Jackie Barto. “It is the most important one.”
However, the Buckeyes struggled against Bemidji State during the regular season, finishing just 1-1-2.
“We are well-matched against them,” Barto said. “We are two equal teams.”
If the Buckeyes can win against Bemidji, they will play No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth Friday night. OSU lost to Minnesota-Duluth in the WCHA Final Five championship game in 2001. If it faces the top seed again this year, OSU hopes its luck can change.
“We are underdogs going into it so we have nothing to lose,” wing Jeni Creary said.
Creary leads the Buckeyes in scoring with 34 points. She is No. 4 in the nation in power-play goals with eight this season.
OSU held short practices on the ice this week to prepare for the Final Five. Barto said she wanted them to stay sharp and keep the energy high. The focus is on working together as a team to reach their goal.
“As a senior, our goal is to win first place,” goalie April Stojak said. “We have placed fourth, third and second in the past, so I think it is about time to win it.”
