University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
6-1-1 (4-1-1)
Ohio State
3-3-1 (1-3-1)
Potomak's Hat Trick Fuels 3-2 Win
10/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sophomore forward Sarah Potomak scored her first career hat trick to lead the No. 2 Minnesota women's hockey team to a 3-2 win over Ohio State on the road at OSU Ice Rink on Saturday evening.
Potomak scored her fourth game-winning goal of the season with 4:36 remaining in the game, breaking a 2-2 tie and giving the Gophers the game one win in this weekend's WCHA series.
Along with Potomak's three-goal effort, Minnesota (6-1-0, 4-1-0 WCHA) received two points from Dani Cameranesi on a pair of assists. Goaltender Sidney Peters made 15 saves, and the Gophers outshot the Buckeyes, 27-17. Ohio State received 24 saves from Kassidy Sauve.
"It was a really tough, hard-fought win tonight," head coach Brad Frost said. "Every time we play Ohio State, it's a grind, and anytime you're on the road at Ohio State it's tough.
"Great to see Sarah Potomak with the hat trick, and it was just a great pass by Kelly on that last goal. Sid [Peters] made some really big saves for us down the stretch. We're really happy with the three points and excited about tomorrow as well."
For the fifth-straight game, Minnesota surrendered the first goal as Ohio State (3-3-1, 1-3-1-0 WCHA) took a 1-0 lead with 25 seconds remaining in the opening period. Jacyn Reeves scored to give the Buckeyes the lead heading into the locker room.
The Gophers responded with a pair of second-period goals by Potomak. She tied the game at the 3:48 mark of the period, burying a feed from Cameranesi and Patti Marshall. Potomak then gave the Gophers their first lead of the game at 11:04 of the middle frame as Cameranesi and Sydney Baldwin picked up assists on the play. Minnesota carried the play throughout the second period but could not extend its lead.
"I'm very pleased with how our team battled back from being down in the first period and responded really well in the second," Frost said. "Obviously they tied it up there in the third, and credit them, but it was really great to see us find a way to win that thing with about four minutes left."
OSU tied the game early in the third period when Maddy Field scored off assists from Lauren Boyle and Lauren Spring with 17:07 remaining, but Potomak scored her third-straight game-winner off a feed from Kelly Pannek to secure the win.
Minnesota held Ohio State scoreless on its two power play opportunities, and OSU did not take a penalty in the game.
The Gophers and Buckeyes wrap up this weekend's series with game two at 2:07 p.m. CT Saturday.
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