Ohio State senior forward Emma Maltais (17) closely watches the situation down the ice during the Ohio State-Minnesota game on Jan. 29. Ohio State lost the game 7-4. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor
After a two-week hiatus, the Buckeyes will have no time to shake off the rust as a top-5 opponent awaits Saturday.
No. 3 Ohio State (11-5-0) enters the WCHA Tournament as winners of six of their last seven games and looks to keep their momentum rolling. Standing in the Buckeyes’ path is No. 5 Minnesota Duluth (11-5-0), who split its only series with Ohio State Jan. 15-16.
“It’s been a little challenging having two weekends off, but It’s just making us hungrier to play this week,” Ohio State senior forward Emma Maltais said.
When Ohio State and Minnesota Duluth last met for their January series, both teams had difficulties getting goals past the Bulldog junior goalie Emma Soderberg and Buckeye junior goalie Andrea Braendli. Although Minnesota Duluth won the first match 2-0, the Buckeyes’ lone goal of Game 2 sealed Ohio State’s first win against Minnesota Duluth since Jan. 29, 2016.
Soderberg ranks at the top of the conference in goals against average, with just 1.34 allowed per game, and save percentage with .951. She also boasts the second best win percentage in the conference at .688.
Duluth has one of the league’s lowest goals against average at 1.44 across 16 games this season.
Although bolstered by a strong defense, the Bulldogs have a pair of premier offensive threats to pack an offensive punch.
Senior forward Anna Klein and junior forward Gabbie Hughes have each tallied 10 assists and combined for 21 goals on the season.
The Bulldogs skated into the No. 2 seed in the conference after winning six of their last seven games. This has been the team’s highest season finish since the 2010-11 season when they tied for second place.
With both the Buckeyes and Bulldogs coming off impressive regular seasons, Muzerall sees both teams holding an edge entering Saturday’s game.
“To their advantage, they’ve played more recently,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said in an interview on Monday. “To our advantage, we’ve played more top-two, top-three teams in the country with playing Wisconsin, Minnesota six times, to their four.”
The Buckeyes will glide into the Rider Arena rink to defend their championship title on Saturday at 6:07 p.m.
