UMD Women Split with Ohio State

With the two teams tied in the 4th spot in the WCHA standings, the Bulldogs won Friday night, and Buckeyes won Saturday night, leaving the WCHA first round still cloudy.  UMD finishes the season with Bemidji and Mankato, while Ohio State finishes the season with Minnesota, then Wisconsin.  That remaining schedule favors UMD, and would likely mean UMD and Ohio State battle in a best of 3 series at Amsoil Arena February 24/25 and 26th if necessary. 

UMD Womens’ Hockey Beats Ohio State

 

The Bulldogs came out flying on Friday, February 2nd vs Ohio State, scoring 4 first period goals. Audrey Cournoyer (assists to Haley Irwin and Jessica Wong) scored first for the 'Dogs, just 39 seconds into the game, finding herself alone in front of the OSU net with the puck on a rebound for the easy tap-in. Jenna McParland (from Irwin and Cournoyer) gave UMD a 2-0 lead at 5:30, batting a puck down into the net. Katie Wilson (from Ambroz and Zoe Hickel) made it 3-0 90 seconds later. A Haley Irwin goal at 11:31 of the period gave UMD it's 4-0 lead.

The 4-0 lead stood until 14:24 of the second period, when OSU's Ally Tarr scored. The Buckeyes cut the lead to 4-2 with just 43 seconds left in the game, with the empty net and powerplay on a goal by Kelly Wild following a scrum in front of Jenny Harss' net. Harss stopped 23 of 25 shots she faced for the win, while OSU starter Lisa Steffes stopped 4 of 7 shots, in just 7 minutes of action. Steffes was replaced by Chelsea Knapp after the third goal, and Knapp stopped 25 of 26 shots she faced.

Dogs Hand Beavers 7-3 Loss, Face Gophers for WCHA Playoff Championship

Laura Fridfinnson got UMD off on the right foot, scoring 24 seconds into the first period and then at 19:35 of the period, sandwiching a Katie Wilson goal midway through the period.

UMD opened the second period strong, with an Emmanuelle Blais goal at 2:56, and another Wilson goal, 10 seconds later. Bemidji's Emily Erickson scored her first of two at 5:00, that Jamie Rasmussen answerd at 14:32 of the second period.

Bemidji came out strong in the third period, getting goals by Erin Cody (4:00) and Erickson (6:49) but couldn't gain anymore ground. Blais scored her second goal, an empty netter to finish the scoring and give UMD the 7-3 victory.

Fridfinnson also picked up three assists in the game. Jenny Harss stopped 17 of 20 shots for the win, while UMD scored it's 7 goals on 33 shots.

PHOTOS from the game

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The Gophers and Buckeyes put on a great show in the second game, with the Gophers winning 3:31 into the second overtime.

Ohio State's Brittany Carlson scored the only goal of the first period, while Minnesota's Brittany Francis scored the only goal in the second period, with the 1-1 tie score giving a sense of overtime.

The two teams combined for 6 goals in the final 8:05 of the third period, with the lead being traded twice. Kelli Blankenship gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead at 11:55 of the period, but was answered 12 seconds later by the Buckeye's Raelyn LaRocque. Ohio State grabbed the lead at 16:45 on a Natalie Spooner goal, that was answered by the Gophers' Francis second goal of the game 40 seconds later. The Gophers retook the lead 1:06 after re-tying the game on an Anne Schleper goal, but Ohio State tied it up with 18 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

The first overtime was extremely eventful, with a Gopher goal disallowed after replay, presumably for a puck batted in with a forearm. The Gophers carried much of the first overtime, putting 13 shots on goal, while Ohio State had 7 shots, but a couple good scoring chances themselves in the scoreless OT period. 3:31 into the second overtime, Laura May scored the game winner for the Gophers.

Pictures from the Minnesota/Ohio State game

UMD Beats Ohio State 5-3, Sweeps Series

Click the blog title to view the Box Score.

After both teams scored in the first period, UMD doubled up Ohio State in the second period to take the final game lead of 5-3.

Vanessa Thibault and Laura Fridfinnson each scored two and Saara Tuominen scored for the third game in a row (not counting the St. Cloud series she missed), while Emmanuelle Blais had two assists for the Bulldogs. Gina Dodge scored her first college point, with an assist, and four other players (Audrey Cournoyer, Mariia Posa, Katie Wilson, and Kacy Ambroz) also picked up an assist.

Vanessa Thibault

Laura Fridfinnson

I've been told that UMD is slated to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UMD women's hockey next weekend Saturday (6 pm) & Sunday (3 pm) against Minnesota State, Mankato.

UMD Beats Ohio State in 3-2 in Overtime!

Click the blog title to view the game box-score from Columbus.

Jamie Rasmussen scored 31 seconds into overtime to give UMD the 3-2 win in overtime. Saara Tuominen and Emmanuelle Blais scored UMD's regulation goals while Mariia Posa assisted on those goals. Blais and Katie Wilson assisted on the Rasmussen game winner, while Jessica Wong and Laura Fridfinnson picked up assists as well in the game.

UMD outshot Ohio State 36-26 and neither team scored a powerplay goal with UMD going 0-5 and Ohio State 0-4. Of UMD's 36 shots, Rasmussen had *9* of those shots so it seems like the perfect ending, for her to score the game winner.

Jamie Rasmussen