University of Minnesota Athletics
Scouting Report: Ohio State
8/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- Before the back-to-back defending national champion Gophers kick off the 2016-17 season, GopherSports.com is taking a closer look at the opponents Minnesota will face in the upcoming season. Up this week is Ohio State.
About the Series: Minnesota vs. Ohio State
The Gophers enter the 2016-17 season with an overall record of 67-8-3 against Ohio State. Minnesota is currently on a 40-game unbeaten streak against Ohio State, posting a record of 38-0-2 during the stretch. The Gophers have won the last seven match-ups with the Buckeyes.
Scouting the Buckeyes
Ohio State finished the 2015-16 season with a final record of 10-25-1 (6-21-1 WCHA), finishing seventh in the WCHA. Junior Claudia Kepler led the Buckeyes in points, finishing the season with 25 points (14g-11a) in 34 games. Sophomore goaltender Alex LaMere played most of Ohio State's minutes in net, as she suited up for 29 games, posting a .896 save percentage and 3.22 goals against average. Behind LaMere was senior goaltender Stacy Danczak, who played in 11 games, posting a .848 save percentage and 4.39 goals against average.
OSU returns 16 of 22 players from last season, including five seniors. The Buckeyes add four freshmen, including forward Olivia Soares (Middleton, R.I.), forward Samantha Bouley (Stittsville, Ont.), defenseman Elise Riemenschneider (Rock River, Ohio), and forward Rebecca Freiburger (Rochester, Minn.).
The Buckeyes are slated to begin the 2016-17 season with three-straight road series. OSU kicks off the year with a non-conference series on the road at RPI in Troy, N.Y., on Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1. The series with Minnesota marks OSU's home-opener (Oct. 21-22).
Last Meeting
The Gophers outscored the Buckeyes by a margin of 40-7 during six games in the 2015-16 season, led by 17 points (10g-7a) from Dani Cameranesi in six games. The last meeting saw Minnesota top the Buckeyes in the first round of the WCHA playoffs to end OSU's season. The Gophers skated to 5-2 and 5-0 wins over Ohio State. During the series, the Gophers were led by Dani Cameranesi (4g-2a), Hannah Brandt (4a), Amanda Kessel (2g-1a), and Kate Schipper (2g-1a). Amanda Leveille spent both games in net, posting 21 saves and 25 saves, respectively.
During game one of the series with Ohio State, the teams were tied 2-2 after two periods behind Minnesota goals from Cameranesi and Kessel. In the third period, the Gophers erupted for three unanswered goals, which included two even-strength goals and one empty-netter to win the game by a final score of 5-2.
Cameranesi led the Gophers with four points (3g-1a) in game two of the WCHA First Round to clinch the best-of-three game series win and secure Minnesota's place at the WCHA Final Face-off. She scored the first goal, the eventual game-winner, while Leveille posted a 25-save shutout.
Potter Back For Year Two Leading Buckeyes
The 2016-17 season marks the second season for the Buckeyes under head coach Jenny Potter, who led the team to a 10-25-1 overall mark in her first season at the helm of the program. Before joining the OSU coaching staff, Potter spent two seasons leading the Trinity College women's hockey program. She led the Bantams to their first conference championship and second NCAA tournament berth in program history, going 28-15-9 in two seasons.
Next Meeting
The Gophers and Buckeyes meet for the first time during the 2016-17 campaign on the road in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22. The teams meet again at Ridder Arena for two more regular-season games on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21.
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