This afternoon we said the women's hockey Buckeyes’ performance against No. 4 Minnesota would give us a better indication of just how much better Ohio State really is this season. Tonight the Bucks knocked off the Gophers by a final score of 3-2. So, yeah, I'd say they're pretty improved.
| Scoring by Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RV Ohio State | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| No. 4 Minnesota | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
OSU roared out to an early lead courtesy of junior Jacyn Reeves. The veteran forward set the Gophers on their heels with two goals in the opening four minutes of the game. The pumped up Buckeyes kept the attack going throughout the first period, outshooting Minnesota 8-5.
Jacyn Reeves striking early and often for @OhioState_WHKY! Here is her second goal of the first 4 minutes! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/xZPP1FrBl7
— BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) October 7, 2017
The Gophers rallied in the second period. They dominated the shot count, 19-11. Goals by Sophie Skarzynski and Grace Zumwinkle knotted the game at 2-2. Both Minnesota goals were scored in close. Skarzynski’s came at even strength. Zumwinkle’s tally was a power play marker.
| Pd | Time | Buckeye Goal Scorers (Assists) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2:06 | Jacyn Reeves (Liz Schepers, Dani Sadek) |
| 1 | 3:49 | Jacyn Reeves (Lauren Spring) |
| 3 | 7:22 | Charly Dahlquist (Tatum Skaggs, Emma Maltais) |
The Bucks appeared to be in trouble early in the third period. The momentum was squarely against them and Minnesota was headed to the power play. But OSU’s penalty killers dug in and fended off the Gopher assault.
Moments later the Bucks returned to even strength and they surged ahead once again. This time it was Charly Dahlquist lighting up Gopher goalie Alex Gulstane with her first goal as a Buckeye. Tatum Skaggs picked up an assist on the play. The rookie leads OSU in points with three goals and two helpers on the season.
Hear what @OhioState_WHKY junior Jacyn Reeves had to say after her team's 3-2 win over Minnesota! pic.twitter.com/O3uV1T2IrR
— BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) October 7, 2017
Minnesota held a slight edge in shots for the game, 28-27. Kassidy Sauve made 26 stops, 17 of them coming in the second period, to pick up her third victory of the season. Ohio State went 0-for-5 on the power play but shined on the penalty kill with four successful kills in five tries.
.@OhioState_WHKY Head coach Nadine Muzerall talks with Student U about her teams huge upset over no. 4 Minnesota! pic.twitter.com/Rx9Hk5cYaS
— BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) October 7, 2017
With the win the Buckeyes improve to 3-0-0. It is the first time in five years that the team has opened the season with three straight W’s. Ohio State tries to keep the victory train rolling tomorrow afternoon when the teams conclude their weekend series. Opening faceoff is set for 4pm ET. Fans with a BTN Plus subscription can stream live video of the contest.
