Ohio State junior forward Liz Schepers (21) prepares to pass the puck to one of her teammates during the Ohio State-Minnesota game Nov.15. Ohio State won 3-1. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern reporter
Ohio State women’s hockey received its first taste of postseason hockey Friday.
A sub-.500 Minnesota State team pushed the Buckeyes to a tie game entering the third period, but two final-frame power-play goals were enough to push No. 5 Ohio State (21-8-6, 14-6-5 WCHA) to a 4-2 victory in the first game of a best-of-three conference playoff series against the Mavericks (11-19-6, 4-17-4).
“We just knew they were going to keep coming and we had to keep going too,” redshirt senior defenseman Jincy Dunne said. “It’s really hard to end someone’s career, and playoff hockey — everyone wants to win.”
Ohio State junior forward Emma Maltais netted the eventual game-winner less than six minutes into the third period, taking advantage of a tripping penalty against Minnesota State freshman forward Danielle England.
Junior forward Liz Schepers followed with another Ohio State power-play goal, all but sealing the game with 5:56 to play.
Early goals have been essential to Ohio State’s success in the second half of the season, and that was no different Friday.
Less than 90 seconds into the game, freshman forward Jennifer Gardiner got the Buckeyes on the board with a goal assisted by Dunne and sophomore defenseman Sophie Jaques.
Jaques scored a goal of her own to close out the first period, doubling the Ohio State lead 2-0. The goal was her eighth of the season.
Meanwhile, Minnesota State didn’t get its first shot attempt until an Ohio State penalty by freshman forward Brooke Bink gave the Mavericks a power play in the 13th minute of the opening period.
Minnesota State got off just four shots in the first period, and were subsequently outshot in the second and third as the Buckeyes finished with a 40-23 advantage in the shot column.
On two straight shots from Minnesota State junior defenseman Tristen Traux, Ohio State sophomore goalie Andrea Braendli made big-time stops to keep the Mavericks scoreless at the end of the period.
But the momentum shifted in the second period.
During a five-minute stretch, the Mavericks racked up half as many goals as they did shots in the first period.
Minnesota State senior forward Emily Anthony put the Mavericks on the board to cut the Buckeye lead in half at the 9:06 mark.
“We have to make sure we don’t become content when we take the lead,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “As a former player, it is difficult when you have so much dominance with the puck and you’re having to play defense. You get a little too lax. We have to continue to keep the energy.”
Sophomore defenseman Anna Wilgren, the Mavericks’ top scorer with six goals and 18 assists this season, put the puck past Braendli to tie the game in the 15th minute of the second period.
“What was being tested was our relentlessness and execution,” Muzerall said. “We told them to unleash and be the team that has gotten us to this point — they came out and did what was needed.”
Leading the Buckeyes, Dunne posted three assists, getting involved in the offense from the backline.
Maltais, a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award given to the nation’s top women’s hockey player, tied the program’s single-season assist record with 38 after her assist on Schepers’ goal.
Although Minnesota State freshman goaltender Calla Frank accumulated 36 saves, holding onto a save percentage of .908, it wasn’t enough to suppress the Ohio State attack.
“We know what a special group we have and we want this to go as long as possible,” Dunne said. “We’re excited for every opportunity to put on the jersey, be together and do what we love.”
The second game in the series begins at 3:07 p.m. Saturday at the Ohio State Ice Rink, where the Buckeyes have a shot to advance to the next round in the conference tournament.
