Penn State was a clear winner in both the rust-shaking contest and the match-up with No. 6/7 Ohio State. The women’s hockey Buckeyes just didn’t have it tonight. They fell to the visiting Nittany Lions by a final score of 5-1.
| Scoring by Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| No. 6/7 Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Special teams were a significant factor in this one. The game’s first three power plays went to the Bucks. Their first advantage came just a minute after the opening faceoff. It was a golden opportunity for OSU to set the tone for the tilt. Instead the Nittany Lions stymied the Buckeyes’ attack and went to work building an insurmountable lead.
| Buckeye Goal Scorer (Assists) | Pd | Time |
|---|---|---|
| PP - Julianna Iafallo (Jincy Dunne, Dani Sadek) | 3 | 13:49 |
Penn State potted goals in each period. Meike Meilleur opened the scoring for the Nittany Lions in the first. Standout freshman Katie Rankin netted the next two tallies. Aly Hardy and Christi Vetter tagged on scores in the dwindling minutes of the third period.
The Buckeyes did get on the board late in the game, spoiling both Hannah Ehresmann’s shutout and the Nittany Lions perfect penalty kill. Wily veteran Julianna Iafallo posted a power play goal at the 13:49 mark. It was her tenth score of the season. It is also the first time in her career she has achieved a double-digit goal total.
Ohio State looks to bounce back tomorrow afternoon. OSU and PSU meet again at 3pm ET. There is no television or radio coverage of the game but it can be streamed live online by Buckeye Vision subscribers.
- The Buckeyes outshot the Nittany Lions 32-26. The Scarlet and Gray were led by Dani Sadek’s four shots on goal.
- Penn State went 1-for-2 on the power play while holding Ohio State to a 1-for-4 mark.
- Ohio State is playing this week without leading scorer Emma Maltais who is representing Team Canada at the Nations Cup.
