There's a pretty big Ohio State sporting event underway. If you're reading a hockey preview right now you must be a hard core puck fan. Salute, paesano. Here's what's on tap this week.
| game info | saturday | sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Faceoff | 2:07 p.m. ET | 2:07 p.m. ET |
| Television | None | None |
| Radio | None | None |
| Online | Buckeye Vision ($) | Buckeye Vision ($) |
The men's team returned from the holiday break with a bang, toppling two top ten teams. Now the Buckeye women look to make a similarly strong start to the second half of the season. They host Penn State this weekend.
While the Nittany Lions are unranked, they boast a better than average defense. The team’s 2.35 goals allowed per game falls just outside the NCAA’s top ten in thirteenth place. Senior goaltender Celine Whitlinger ranks sixth in the nation in save percentage and ninth in goals against.
A lack of firepower holds Penn State back. Its offense is sixth worst in the country, rarely hitting the three goal mark in a game. Only two players, Laura Bowman (12) and Amy Petersen (11) tout double digit point totals.
| team stats | Penn State | ohio state |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 4-12-4 | 6-12-0 |
| National Polls | N/A | N/A |
| Avg. Goals Scored | 1.70 | 2.35 |
| Avg. Goals Allowed | 2.35 | 4.06 |
| Points Leader | Laura Bowman (8-4--12) | Kendall Curtis (9-6--15) |
| Top Goalie | Celine Whitlinger (1.59/.947) | Alex LaMere (3.26/.888) |
The low scoring Nittany Lions could be just what the doctor ordered for Ohio State. The Buckeye defense is struggling mightily this season. It has allowed three or more goals in two-thirds of its games and is (albeit by a slim margin) statistically the worst defense in women’s college hockey.
Injuries and quality competition within the conference have taken a toll. However the Bucks must find a way to overcome those challenges if they hope to skate a decent second half. It can’t hurt to ease into action against an opponent not known for lighting up the scoreboard.
The Buckeyes are 3-1-0 in non-conference games this season. I would expect them to continue that success this week with fresh legs and the hometown crowd on their side. If they’re rusty out of the gate they may split the series with the Nittany Lions but a split ought to be the worst case scenario.
Noteworthy
- Penn State senior forward Hannah Hoenshell has been credited with three of the Nittany Lions’ four gamewinning goals this season.
- Ohio State leads the all time series between these teams 4-0-0 with three wins coming by way of shutout.
| rk | wcha standings | w | l | t | sow | pts | this week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Wisconsin | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 | Bye |
| 3 | Minnesota | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33 | Bye |
| 5 | Bemidji State | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 31 | Bye |
| 7/8 | North Dakota | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 28 | Bye |
| RV | Minnesota-Duluth | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 19 | Bye |
| St. Cloud State | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 16 | Bye | |
| Ohio State | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9 | vs Penn State (non-conference) | |
| Minnesota State | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | vs Lindenwood (non-conference) |
