Ohio State women's hockey finishes off 2014 with a pair of games at No. 9 Bemidji State. This week's action concludes the season series between the Buckeyes and Beavers. OSU holds the advantage after sweeping BSU at the Ice Rink back in October.
The two squads are part of a four-team jumble in the WCHA's second tier. A mere seven points separate the third through sixth place teams. Minnesota-Duluth and Bemidji State gained a slight advantage over their mid-pack brethren by squeezing points from series against Wisconsin and Minnesota.
| osu | tale of the tape | bsu |
|---|---|---|
| 8-8-2 | Overall Record | 11-6-1 |
| n/a | National Polls | No. 9 |
| 2.17 (23rd) | Avg Goals Scored | 2.61 (18th) |
| 2.39 (16th) | Avg Goals Allowed | 1.67 (6th) |
| 11% (27th) | Power Play | 15.1% (19th) |
| 83.9% (19th) | Penalty Kill | 91.1% (4th) |
The Beavers pulled off the most surprising upset of the season's early months when they earned four out of a possible six points against Minnesota. It helped that this series fell the weekend prior to the Four Nations when UM was a little more mortal tan usual. Bemidji eked out a shootout victory against the Gophers' back-up goalie and claimed a shutout win after UM's top talents had departed for the international tourney.
Still, four points at Minnesota deserves respect. The Buckeyes have their work cut out for them this week. Bemidji possesses a tenacious defense, backed by one of the nation's top goaltenders. Sophomore Brittni Mowat boasts a teensy 1.57 GAA and a .948 save percentage that is second in the nation.
The Beavers are led offensively by juniors Kaitlyn Tougas (6-9--15) and Ivana Bilic (4-10--14). The team's top five scorers are upperclassmen. All have recorded double digit point totals this season.
The lady Bucks will need to be sharp in all aspects of their game. They let some points slip away last time out against Duluth. They'll be eager to redeem themselves this week, but Bemidji is a wily, veteran team and just as keen to finish the first half on a high note.
Ohio State players to keep an eye on include a trio of skaters (Sara Schmitt, Taylor Kuehl, and Danielle Gagne) who had point streaks snapped against UMD. Don't forget about Julia McKinnon. The junior recorded a hat trick against the Beavers in October.
OSU needs to at least split this series with Bemidji in order to keep pace with their WCHA peers. Games are set for tonight at 8 ET/7 CT and Saturday at 3 ET/2 CT. Streaming video is available through Bemidji State's website with a subscription. Free audio can be found via the Beaver Radio Network.
Conference Outlook
At the midpoint of the season the WCHA has settled into three distinct levels. Neither extreme is particularly compelling (though the remain two games between Wisconsin and Minnesota are bound to be entertaining). The middle pack on the other hand...
Four teams are vying for two home-ice playoff spots. Based on their early battles, any two teams could conceivably emerge victorious. In the first half he Buckeyes swept the Beavers. The Beavers swept North Dakota. UND took four points from OSU. Minnesota-Duluth notched at least one win against each of their fellow mid-tier teams. Things are crazy up in here.
| rank | WCHA STANDINGS | w | l | t | sow | pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Wisconsin | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 35 |
| 6/7 | Minnesota-Duluth | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 25 |
| 9 | Bemidji State | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| North Dakota | 6 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 21 | |
| Ohio State | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 18 | |
| St. Cloud | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |
| Minnesota State | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Duluth has the easiest remaining schedule, not having to face Wisconsin again. However the Bulldogs are dealing with some off-ice turmoil. It was announced this week that coach Shannon Miller and her staff will not be retained by the university following this season. The UMD players were not pleased to learn of this development and let Matt Wellens of the Duluth News Tribune know precisely what they think of the situation.
