Ohio State then-junior forward Jennifer Gardiner (12) looks for an open teammate during the Ohio State-St. Cloud State game Feb. 25, 2022. Ohio State won 6-0. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File Photo
As the Buckeyes continue to roll in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, so do the weekly awards.
Graduate forward Jenn Gardiner was named WCHA Forward of the Week, freshman forward Jocelyn Amos earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors and sophomore defenseman Emma Peschel notched WCHA Defender of the Week for their performances in the two-game sweep of No. 4 Minnesota.
Each netted a goal over the weekend, which featured a 4-3 overtime thriller Friday and a 6-5 win Saturday.
Gardiner slapped in the game-winning goal Friday, her second of the game, in front of a sold-out crowd at the Ohio State Ice Rink.
“Heading into the weekend, there were a lot of emotions to begin with,” Gardiner said. “It was so exciting to finally play our first home weekend after three on the road. It definitely felt good.”
Gardiner iced the game for the Buckeyes 1:39 into overtime, sending the puck in on a two-on-one play with Amos.
“I knew I could tell [Amos] was near the end of her shift and I heard the coaches yell, ‘Shoot it,’” Gardiner said. “I felt like I had the shot, so I took it.”
Gardiner was present on the ice for nine of the team’s 10 goals on the weekend and notched 10 total points in the series against the Golden Gophers.
The honor marks the first WCHA Forward of the Week award given to an Ohio State skater this season.
For Amos, she earned her first multi-goal game in an Ohio State jersey, scoring both in the second period of Saturday’s win.
Goal No. 1 gave Ohio State its first of the day after falling into a 2-0 hole after the first period, and the second gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the day.
“Before the start of the second period, we talked about how we had to get our energy up and start playing Buckeye hockey,” Amos said. “After the first one, I was super pumped because it narrowed the lead. With the second one, credit to [graduate forward Hannah] Bilka because it was an amazing pass.”
The Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada, native also led Ohio State with 35 faceoff wins on the weekend.
“It was definitely a special moment,” Amos said. “I felt super calm in front of the home crowd. I feel like you don’t know what it means to be a Buckeye hockey player until you play at home. It was just super exciting.”
