Former Buckeye Clair DeGeorge represents Team USA at the IIHF World Championship. She will play for the U.S. alongside Madison Bizal against Canadaian Buckeyes Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner at the 2023-24 Rivalry Series. Credit: Courtesy of USA Hockey
Ohio State’s offense was on full display against Bemidji State.
The Buckeyes scored 20 goals in their two-game home series against the Beavers. Now, Ohio State looks to shut down a high-powered offense while four former Buckeyes are set to represent their countries in February.
Here’s what’s happening around the rink this week.
Bilka, Amos named players of the week
Graduate forward Hannah Bilka and freshman forward Jocelyn Amos’ weekend performances earned them Western Collegiate Hockey Association honors. Bilka was named Forward of the Week, while Amos received Rookie of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
Bilka scored a goal in each of the Buckeyes’ two victories against the Beavers, also recording three assists in Friday’s game and one on Saturday.
Bilka is now one assist away from a career total of 100. She has 21 assists in her one season at Ohio State, and 78 from her four-year career at Boston College.
Amos recorded 5 points of her own in the Bemidji State series, scoring three goals and tallying two assists.
Amos scored the first goal of Ohio State’s 11-1 win Friday, and scored two second-period goals in the 9-1 Saturday win, including a shorthanded goal assisted by Bilka.
Graduate forward Jennifer Gardiner — one of Amos’ regular linemates — said she has been a major addition to the team in her freshman season.
“Gabby Rosenthal is a player that’s super hard to replace, but I think Jocelyn is somebody that can step into those big minute roles and winning those faceoffs and being that netfront grinder that we need,” Gardiner said.
Former Buckeyes selected for USA-Canada series
Four former Buckeyes will represent their countries in the final three games of USA Hockey and Hockey Canada’s 2023-24 Rivalry Series beginning Wednesday.
Former captain Emma Maltais and former alternate captain Natalie Spooner will suit up for Team Canada, while Madison Bizal will make her Team USA senior debut alongside Clair DeGeorge.
Rivalry Series games will take place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Wednesday; Regina, Saskatchewan on Friday; and St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday. The U.S. leads the 2023-24 series 3-1.
Although Maltais and Spooner played for Ohio State at different times, the two forwards have years of international and professional experience together. In addition to being teammates with the Professional Women’s Hockey League Toronto, they won gold medals at the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship and the 2022 Winter Olympics.
DeGeorge has represented Team USA in five events since 2016, including the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation U18 Women’s World Championship — where the U.S. won gold — and two Rivalry Series appearances in 2019-20 and 2022-23.
Bizal’s only previous Team USA experience came in 2017 when she played with DeGeorge at the Under-18 Series against Canada, and the IIHF U18 Championship.
Bilka — who has played for Team USA at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Championship, and the 2018 and 2019 U18 World Championship — said the Rivalry Series participants reflect well on the Buckeyes’ program.
“It just shows what a great program and the players that are produced under Coach Muz,” Bilka said. “To be on the highest stage, it’s pretty cool, so I’m always supporting them and hope they can beat Canada.”
Looking ahead: Return of the King
Following the Bemidji State sweep, No. 1 Ohio State (24-2-0, 21-1-0 WCHA) will head to Mankato, Minnesota, to take on Minnesota State (10-19-0,4-18-0 WCHA). The series will be graduate forward Kelsey King’s first game in Mankato as an opposing player after she transferred from Minnesota State to Ohio State in the 2023 offseason.
King played four seasons with the Mavericks and led the team in scoring with 14 goals last season.
Ohio State and Minnesota State have played twice this season, with the Buckeyes winning 6-1 on Dec. 9, 2023, and 4-1 on Dec. 10, 2023, at the Ohio State Ice Rink.
Gardiner said in the two teams’ previous matchups, Minnesota State challenged Ohio State’s defense more than other opponents. In the Dec. 9 game, the Mavericks recorded 30 shots on goal, before tallying 14 on Dec. 10.
“Something we’re focusing on this week in practice is trying to be sound defensively and shut them down because we know they have some sharpshooters,” Gardiner said.
Whitney Tuttle led Minnesota State in shots in the December series, recording six shots on goal in the two games combined, as well as two assists. Tuttle is third on the team in points with 23, while Sydney Langseth’s 27 points make her the Mavericks’ leading scorer.
Gardiner said while Ohio State tends to play aggressively, Minnesota State’s style of play will force the Buckeyes to be alert on defense.
“They were willing to take risks,” Gardiner said. “They were willing to try to get those odd-man rushes and launch those long passes across the ice that sometimes caught us off guard when we were playing very offensively and had our defense involved in everything and maybe lost girls sneaking behind us. They have a very fast team, and they also had very good special teams.”
The Buckeyes and Mavericks will square off at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday.
