The women’s hockey Buckeyes skated against No. 3 Minnesota once again this afternoon. It was the final regular season meeting between the teams for 2015-16. As in the three prior contests, the Gophers prevailed.
| scoring by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 3 Minnesota | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
Minnesota outshot Ohio State 20-1 in the opening period. The Gophers connected four times, thrice at even strength and once with the man advantage. The Buckeyes weren’t even able to muster much possession despite two power play opportunities.
Overall there was little to like for OSU in the first stanza, but netminder Alex LaMere did provide a few highlights. As in yesterday’s contest, her best moments came as she faced shots from Minnesota’s leading scorer. First, LaMere robbed Dani Camarenesi on a breakaway, flashing a larcenous glove. Later, though the cycling Gophers set Camaranesi up perfectly, the Buckeye goalie moved quickly to stone her again.
Ohio State recovered somewhat after the intermission. The Buckeyes managed some possession and actually outshot Minnesota 12-10 in the second period. However they couldn’t solve goaltender Sidney Peters. The Gophers added a trio of goals late in the frame to increase their lead to 7-0.
Minnesota chipped in two more goals in the third period, making the final damage 9-0. Total shots were 45-17 in favor of the Gophers. Ohio State went 0-for-2 on the power play. Minnesota was 2-for-2 with the advantage. Kelly Pannek, Kate Schipper, and Lee Stecklein led the Gophers in goal scoring, each recording two tallies.
The Buckeyes suffer a shutout for only the third time this year. The loss drops OSU to 7-15-0 overall. Minnesota sweeps the teams’ season series 4-0-0-0. The Buckeyes regroup and head home where they will host St. Cloud State this Friday and Saturday.
