The Ohio State women’s hockey team celebrates after scoring a goal during the Ohio State-Minnesota Duluth game Jan. 22. Ohio State won 3-1. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
The Buckeyes will face the Bulldogs on a national stage in the NCAA Frozen Four, where a spot in the championship game is on the line.
No. 1 Ohio State (30-6-0) will take on No. 4 Yale (26-8-1) in the NCAA Championship semifinals Friday at 7 p.m. at Pegula Ice Arena in State College, Pennsylvania. The winner of Friday’s matchup will play the winner of No. 2 Northeastern and No. 3 Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Championship Sunday at 4 p.m.
This marks the third time the Buckeyes have played in the Frozen Four. In the team’s Frozen Four appearance last season, they lost to No. 2 Wisconsin, which then went on to win the NCAA Championship.
Head coach Nadine Muzerall said this Buckeye team is different from previous Ohio State teams that have advanced to the Frozen Four because of their point-production coming from more than one line.
“In years past, we weren’t producing,” Muzerall said. “Although we could be dominant in a game, we wouldn’t end up winning the game because we couldn’t put the puck in the net.”
The Buckeyes entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed for the first time in program history.
Ohio State senior defender Sophie Jaques was named a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, honoring the top female collegiate ice hockey athlete, Thursday. Minnesota senior forward Taylor Heise and Minnesota Duluth senior forward Gabbie Hughes join Jaques as finalists for the award.
Jaques’ 59 points this season is the second-most recorded by a defender in Division I women’s collegiate hockey in the past 20 years. Jaques said she is honored and humbled to be a top-three finalist for the award.
“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Jaques said. “They have been great all year, and just having great players to move the puck to has really helped me succeed.”
Ohio State and Yale’s meeting is the first since 2005, and the Buckeyes have a 2-1 record in their three previous games. Muzerall said it is good Ohio State has not faced Yale this season because facing conference teams constantly is mentally exhausting.
“We are really excited for having a different opponent, who on the flip doesn’t really know anything about us except what they see on video as well,” Muzerall said.
Yale head coach Mark Bolding was named the American Hockey Coaches Association Coach of the Year Thursday after previously earning the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s 2022 Coach of the Year honor.
Muzerall said the Bulldogs are a well-coached team and it could be anybody’s game.
“They are very disciplined and they have a lot of speed,” Muzerall said. “They have depth with offense and their defense are very good at carrying the puck and making things happen offensively and creatively.”
Yale junior defender Emma Seitz was named the 2022 ECAC Defenseman of the Year and has tallied 14 goals and 25 points this season. Seitz and sophomore forward Ella Hartje were named to the First Team All-ECAC this season.
Jaques said in the close games teams in the NCAA Tournament often face, producing on special teams can give a team an advantage.
“I think what makes our power play so successful is that we have so many different people from different positions who can bury the puck, so it is a threat on all areas of the ice and every different part of the zone,” Jaques said.
Ohio State graduate forward and captain Liz Schepers said she has seen huge growth in her team since they first met back in August 2021.
“I can’t say enough of the buy-in of this team and the way we have come together and love each other and care about each other and go to war for each other,” Schepers said.
The game can be watched on ESPN+ and on TSN in Canada.
