Another day, another late game rally from the hockey Bucks. Again the Scarlet and Gray battled a non-conference foe deep into the contest. Unfortunately, like the men last night, the women fell a little short in their comeback bid.
| scoring by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Boston University | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Ohio State struggled to generate offense in the opening period. The Terriers dominated possession and cashed in on an early power play opportunity when Kayla Tutino’s shot found the back of the net. It looked as though the Buckeyes would escape with a one goal deficit but Boston’s point leader, Rebecca Leslie, beat the buzzer with fractions of a second to spare.
Play flowed more evenly in the middle minutes. However, though the Bucks increased their scoring chances, it was the Terriers who next lit the lamp. Once again BU took advantage of a power play. This time it was Sarah Lefort registering the score.
Ohio State kept battling. The team was rewarded in the final minute of the frame when Maddy Field hit pay dirt with four ticks remaining on the clock. Boston’s Victoria Bach looked to cement victory with an early third period tally but the Buckeyes refused to go quietly. Back to back strikes from Julia McKinnon and Kendall Curtis drew OSU within a goal of the Terriers.
| pd | time | buckeye goal scorers (assists) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 19:55 | Maddy Field (Julia McKinnon) |
| 3 | 2:24 | Julia McKinnon (unassisted) |
| 3 | 3:56 | Kendall Curtis (Claudia Kepler, Dani Sadek) |
Unfortunately the Scarlet and Gray rally was thwarted by special teams. The Terriers’ Alexis Crossley potted her team’s fifth goal of the game and their third man-advantage marker. Although the Bucks kept up the fight they just didn’t have the firepower to outduel Boston.
You have to admire the never-say-die attitude of the women’s team. They might not have won the game but they never looked defeated. Again, as we said last night, resiliency is a trait that will serve the team well in the crucial second half of the season.
In the end this weekend played out much like we expected. Ohio State took care of business against Vermont, but its shorthanded defensive situation and penchant for penalties were exploited by an offensively minded Boston squad. Next week is a bye for the Buckeyes. They lace up their skates one last time before the holiday break. Minnesota-Duluth comes to Columbus in two weeks to close out the first half of the season.
