Ohio State junior forward Liz Schepers (21) battles for the puck during the third period of the game against Minnesota on Oct. 25. Ohio State won 4-3. Credit: John Huether | For The Lantern
Before Friday night, the Ohio State women’s hockey team hadn’t won a game at Bemidji State for two years.
This time, it would not be denied.
Two goals by Ohio State freshman forward Jennifer Gardiner and a game-winning goal in overtime by junior forward Liz Schepers lifted Ohio State (6-3-2, 4-3-2 WCHA) past Bemidji State (3-5-1, 2-3-0) to a final score of 4-3.
The Buckeyes faced a 3-2 deficit in the third period until senior defenseman and team captain Jincy Dunne knotted the game up with just under six minutes left in regulation.
The game went to overtime. Only one minute and 18 seconds into the sudden victory period, and Schepers found the back of the net to get the win.
Gardiner scored the first two goals for the Buckeyes. The first came three minutes into the game and the second near the halfway mark of the second period. Gardiner has now scored three goals in the past two games.
But while Gardiner was at work, so was Bemidji State. Senior forward Haley Mack scored with 13 minutes left in the first, followed by junior forward Clair DeGeorge tacking on another Beaver goal to tie the game 2-2 with eight minutes remaining in the second.
Heading to the third period, it was anyone’s game.
Bemidji State struck first, less than a minute into the final period. This time, it was senior defenseman Heather Olsen, who scored to give the Beavers their first lead of the game.
It looked as if Bemidji State would hold on for the win, but Dunne, Schepers and the Buckeyes had other plans.
Ohio State squares off against the Beavers again Saturday at 4:07 p.m.
