The No. 1 ranked Ohio State women’s hockey team took a big step defending their national championship with a 2-1 victory over No. 8 Bemidji State in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinals. The Buckeyes advanced to the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals in Minnesota next weekend.
In the second game of the quarterfinals series, freshman forward Sloane Matthews and senior forward Jennifer Gardiner each scored a goal to lead the Buckeyes (30-4-2, 24-4-1 WCHA) over the Beavers (5-29-1, 2-30-0 WCHA).
Saturday’s win on home ice, which followed Ohio State’s series-opening 4-1 victory Friday, helped the Buckeyes reach 30 wins for the second season in a row.
“That was a challenging game, a little different style than I think we’re used to playing against,” head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “Bemidji was fighting and hanging on and wanting to win, because nobody wants their career or their season to end. We knew it was going to be difficult.”
Matthews led the Buckeyes early on, notching her fifth goal of the season just two minutes into the first period after an assist from senior forward Kenzie Hauswirth.
“I think Kenzie went in super hard,” Matthews said. “She’s been playing really well, and it just happened to pop right out in front of the slot. I was there to just knock it in.”
Following the goal, both teams then went scoreless for the remainder of the period despite nine shots from Ohio State and five from Bemidji State.
“I think that they did a really good job playing the defensive side of the game against us, and then when they had some offensive opportunities, it became a little scary,” Muzerall said.
The Beavers saw their offensive chance to tie the score eight minutes into the second period after Ohio State received a penalty for hooking. However Bemidji State was unable to capitalize on the power play opportunity.
Once again, the teams kept each other off the scoreboard for the following 12 minutes of play, leaving the score at 1-0 heading into the final frame.
After 15 more scoreless minutes, the Buckeyes picked up speed as they pestered Beavers junior goaltender Hannah Hogenson with back-to-back shots. Gardiner was the one to find the back of the net at 16:17, which was her 21st goal this season giving Ohio State a two-score lead.
“Our team had a lot of momentum throughout the game. There were a lot of chances from everyone,” Gardiner said. “I was just lucky enough to get that opportunity in front and bury it.”
Less than two minutes after Gardiner’s goal, the Beavers were able to tighten the gap after sophomore forward Claire Vekich scored her seventh goal of the season on a power play at 17:37.
Despite Bemidji State’s late pressure against the Buckeyes, Ohio State was able to hold it down for the slim remainder of the frame, securing the 2-1 victory and earning its spot in the Final Faceoff semifinals for the sixth-straight season.
Muzerall emphasized the additional challenge faced at postseason matchups, a place with which the Buckeyes have been plenty familiar recently.
“No matter what position you are when you get into that second phase of your season, which is conference playoff time, it doesn’t matter. It resets, and everybody’s at zero,” Muzerall said. “It becomes a whole new ballgame, and it’s difficult, but I’m glad the first step to the championship is over.”
The semifinal series will commence Friday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis where the Buckeyes will play the No. 4 seed that is still to be determined.
