Ohio State solidified its standing as the best team in women’s college hockey with its performance at Minnesota this weekend.
Minnesota entered the weekend as the No. 2 team in the country, but the Golden Gophers proved to be no match for the top-ranked Buckeyes, who defeated Minnesota on its home ice by a combined score of 13-1 across two games.
Ohio State started the two-game series in Minneapolis between the nation’s top two teams with a 7-0 win on Friday, then followed it up with a 6-1 win on Saturday.
LUCKY 7
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) January 13, 2024
No. 1 @OhioStateWHKY defeats No. 2 Minnesota, 7-0. #NCAAHockey x Minnesota Athletics pic.twitter.com/V83fpN40tp
A B1G weekend for the Buckeyes in Minneapolis #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/tKg4baJNzc
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) January 13, 2024
Freshman forward Joy Dunne led the Buckeyes to victory in the first game with a hat trick. Graduate forward Hannah Bilka also scored three goals on the weekend, following up a two-goal game on Friday with another goal on Saturday. Seven other Buckeyes contributed one goal each between the two games.
Ohio State improved to 18-2 on the season with the pair of wins, its first two games of the 2024 calendar year.
Two years removed from winning the first national championship in program history, Ohio State made it clear this weekend that it will be the team to beat for the national title once again this year.
