Hello again, my puckish friends. The men’s hockey team is already enjoying its midseason break. The Buckeye women have a little business yet to finish, though. They host Mercyhurst this weekend to close out their first half of the season.
| Game Info | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Faceoff | 3pm ET | 1pm ET |
| Streaming Video | BTN Plus ($) | BTN Plus ($) |
It's a Saturday-Sunday series. The finale is ugly sweater themed. Dress accordingly.
The Lakers are once again one of the CHA’s top contenders. They roll into Columbus fresh off a series split with Bemidji State. Statistically the differences between Mercyhurst and Ohio State are small.
| Team Stats | Mercyhurst | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
| Records | 8-7-2, 6-2-0 CHA | 12-6-0, 8-4-0-0 WCHA |
| National Polls | N/A / N/A | No. 7 / No. 8 |
| Avg. Goals For / Against | 2.47 / 2.76 | 2.61 / 2.06 |
| Power Play / Penalty Kill | 13.2% / 81.7% | 13.3% / 89.1% |
| Points Leader | Emma Nuutinen (13) | Emma Maltais (25) |
| Leading Goal Scorer | Emma Nuutinen (7) | Tatum Skaggs (11) |
| Top Goaltender | Sarah McDonnell (1.98/.918) | Andrea Braendli (1.74/.940) |
According to associate head coach Andrew Cassels, the teams’ similarity extends beyond the numbers. “They play a lot like us,” he said. “It’s almost like playing ourselves. The girls compete against each other every day in practice so it shouldn’t be anything that surprises us.”
| WCHA Standings | W | L | T | SOW | PTS | Last Week | This Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 2 Minnesota | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 28 | Sweep of RMU (nc) | Bye |
| No. 1 Wisconsin | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | Sweep of STC | Bye |
| No. 7/8 Ohio State | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 24 | Bye | vs MCY (nc) |
| Minnesota-Duluth | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 16 | W, SOW vs MSU | Bye |
| Bemidji State | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 13 | Split at MCY (nc) | Bye |
| Minnesota State | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 12 | L, SOL at UMD | Bye |
| St. Cloud State | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 6 | Swept by WIS | Bye |
The Buckeyes have had plenty of practice time leading up to this series, coming off a bye. Although some dislike the off week, Cassels sees it as a positive thing for his team. “I think anytime you get a little break its good. A lot of injuries, nagging injuries, and the girls are tired with exams. It’s a lot mentally for them.”
The biggest challenge for the Bucks this week might be remaining focused. It’s been awhile since they played a meaningful game. The impending two week layoff beckons taxed brains. It’s a difficult time to stay sharp.
“Any time you’re coming up to a break it’s definitely tough to be mentally strong,” Cassels acknowledged. “We’re just trying to keep in mind [they’re] two big games. We need two big wins before the break.”
Yet he is confident in Ohio State’s ability to get the job done. “The girls have been practicing hard with the bye week last week. It’s a lot of practice time and we’ll definitely be prepared.”
Cassels’ key to victory this week is simple. “[Mercyhurst is] going to come out and work hard. We’re going to have to outwork them and special teams will play a big part.”
