After taking on the top-ranked team in the country last weekend, Ohio State will host the third-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers for two games this weekend. The Buckeyes, who entered last weekend ranked second in the country, split a pair of games with Wisconsin, handing the Badgers just their third loss of the season.
Saturday’s season opener saw Jordyn Petrie score less than six minutes into the game, followed by Sloane Matthews netting a power play goal less than a minute from the end of the first
period. Maxine Cimoroni and Kassidy Carmichael added third period goals before Wisconsin scored their lone goal of the game after pulling their goal with three minutes to go.
Hailey MacLeod stopped 30 shots as Ohio State’s Nadine Muzerall became the 14th active coach to record 250 wins. Petrie finished the game with a career-high three points.
Sunday’s game wouldn’t be quite as kind to the Buckeyes. Wisconsin scored the first two goals of the game before Kaia Malachino got Ohio State on the scoreboard with a goal halfway through the second period. Malachino’s tally would be the only one for the Buckeyes in the game, as the Badgers added two more goals to secure the 4-1 victory to split the series.
Despite Wisconsin taking three of the four games in the regular season series, Ohio State can take confidence in the postseason that they were able to go to Madison and earn a victory.
Next up for the Buckeyes is another tough test in the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who enter this weekend’s action with a 24-5-1 record. Last weekend the Golden Gophers earned a 4-1 win and tied St. Thomas 1-1 in the two games the teams played.
For her performance against the Tommies, goaltender Hannah Clark was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week for the third time this season. Clark now has a 17-3-1 record on the season with three shutouts and a 1.85 goals against average.
Ohio State and Minnesota squared off in St. Paul all the way back in the middle of October, with the teams splitting the two games. The Buckeyes won 4-1 with Kassidy Carmichael, Joy Dunne, and Hilda Svensson giving Ohio State a 3-0 before the Golden Gophers got on the scoreboard.
Jocelyn Amos capped off the scoring late in the third period with an empty net goal, while Hillary MacLeod made 28 saves.
The following day was all Minnesota, as the Golden Gophers raced out to a 3-0 lead before the teams alternated goals the rest of the way in the 6-3 Minnesota win. Joy Dunne, Sanni Vanhanen, and Jenna Rauino all scored in the loss for the Buckeyes, but this time Ohio State won’t have the services of those three since they are in Italy playing for their countries at the Olympics.
The Buckeyes won’t be the only team this weekend missing players. The Golden Gophers will be without their top scorer, Abbey Murphy, who is currently playing for Team USA with Dunne. Prior to heading to Italy, Murphy had scored 36 goals and dished out 25 assists this season.
Minnesota players who have joined Murphy at the Olympics are Josefin Bouveng of Sweden, Nelli Laitinen of Finland, and freshman Tereza Plosova of Czechia.
Speaking of the Olympics, five current Buckeyes have been on the ice in Italy. Joy Dunne of Team USA has been impressing with two goals and two assists through four games. The United States were a perfect 4-0 in preliminary round play, including a 5-0 rout of Canada on Tuesday.
Dunne and company will take on Italy in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Two other Buckeyes currently have four points in Milan. Jenna Raunio and Hilda Svensson of Sweden each have been credited with four assists through four games. Mira Jungaker has scored a goal for Sweden, while Sanni Vanhanen has a goal and assist for Finland.
Both Sweden and Finland have qualified for the quarterfinal round, but their opponents have yet to be determined.
