Ohio State redshirt sophomore goaltender Kassidy Sauve stares down a rolling puck against St. Cloud State on Feb. 4 at the OSU Ice Rink. Credit: Magee Sprague | Lantern reporter
The Ohio State women’s hockey team (11-3-3, 8-2-3 WCHA) defeated the St. Cloud State Huskies (3-12-1, 1-9-1 WCHA) in a shootout 1-0 after tying 2-2 during regulation at the OSU Ice Rink Friday.
With 8:03 remaining in the final period, Buckeyes senior forward Julianna Iafallo scored to tie the game at 2-2. The game remained scoreless after that and the Huskies and Buckeyes were headed to overtime.
After the overtime period the score was still tied at two, and the game entered a shootout. After a lengthy shootout, Ohio State junior forward Grace Zarzecki scored the game-winning goal.
The Buckeyes came out strong in the first period. Less than 10 seconds into the first period, freshman forward Tatum Skaggs had the initial shot on goal that was just wide of the net.
“I just kept crashing the net, the goalie left a couple rebounds out,” Skaggs said, describing her early shot attempts.
The two teams traded shots throughout the first period with Ohio State tallying 12 shots and St. Cloud State reaching nine shots, but neither team could score.
“They played great, they were doing all the little things right, they were moving their feet on passes,” head coach Nadine Muzerall said of her teams play in the opening period.
With 10:05 to go in the first period, St. Cloud State struck first when defenseman Abby Thiessen scored on a rifled slap shot that bested Buckeye goalie Kassidy Sauve and gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
Ohio State had won both previous meetings on Oct. 20 and 21 between the two teams, both by final scores of 4-0.
St. Cloud State added to its lead with just under seven minutes to go in the opening period on a power-play goal by forward Kayla Friesen, making it 2-0 Huskies.
With 30.2 seconds remaining in the first period, a presumed goal by Ohio State was overturned after replay review.
After a slower-paced second period, it took until nearly the end for Ohio State to score its first goal of the game. Forward Tatum Skaggs scored with just over 30 seconds to go in the second period to make it 2-1 St. Cloud State. It was Skaggs’ 12th goal of the year. Later that period, Ohio State tied the game at two, then won the shootout.
“To sweep either on the road or at home in this league is very difficult,” Muzarell said, knowing that she will see the familiar foe Huskies again in less than 24 hours.
Ohio State hosts St. Cloud State for the season finale Saturday afternoon at 3:07 p.m. at the Ohio State Ice Rink.
