University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
1-2-1, 0-1-1-0WCHA
Ohio State
3-0-1, 1-0-1-1WCHA
Gophers Tie Buckeyes, 5-5 in OT
10/7/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 4 Golden Gopher women's hockey team and Ohio State battled to a 5-5 overtime tie at Ridder Arena Saturday afternoon. The Buckeyes secured an extra point in the WCHA league standings with a 2-0 shootout win.
Minnesota (1-2-1, 0-1-1-0 WCHA) was led by Sydney Baldwin's three points on three assists, and Caitlin Reilly tallied two goals. Alex Woken also recorded a multi-point game for the Maroon & Gold with one goal and one assist.
Ohio State (3-0-1, 1-0-1-1 WCHA) received multiple points from Tatum Skaggs (2g-1a), Emma Maltais (1g-2a), Jincy Dunne (2a), and Charly Dahlquist (2a).
"Well, it was an exciting hockey game, that's for sure, kind-of fire-wagon hockey out there," head coach Brad Frost said. "I credit us for a good start, credit Ohio State for coming back from two goals down, two separate times. I am proud of our team for coming back with seven minutes left to tie it up. It was an entertaining game, an exciting game. We did a lot of good things. I enjoyed the compete of our team, for the most part, much better than yesterday in particular."
The Gophers took a 2-0 lead early in the game, but the Buckeyes came back to tie it at 2-2. Minnesota again pulled away by two, 4-2, early in the second period but OSU once again tied the game. The Buckeyes took their first lead midway through the third period, and Minnesota tied it up at five to send the game to overtime.
"Little things we can take away, obviously we can't give up five and expect to win hockey games," Frost said. "I don't think we can give up four and expect to win hockey games. We have to get back to playing better defense and keeping pucks out of our net. Offensively speaking, some really good things. It was great to see Alex Woken get on the board and Reilly getting her first two of the year -- some encouraging signs that way."
Alex Gulstene made 36 saves for Minnesota, including nine during the five-minute overtime period to preserve the tie. For the game, the Buckeyes outshot the Gophers, 41-31, and Kassidy Sauve made 26 saves in net for the visitors.
The Gophers took an early 1-0 lead when Olivia Knowles converted on the power play, ripping a shot through traffic from the top of the slot past Sauve just 3:27 into the game. Reilly then scored her first goal of the season on a breakaway to double the Minnesota lead with 12:06 to play in the opening frame.
However, the Buckeyes responded with two goals of their own, tying it up at 2-2 with tallies by Maltais as 12:01 and Skaggs at 14:37 of the first period.
The five-goal first period came to an end after Sophie Skarzynski put Minnesota back on top when a loose puck popped out to her on the doorstep and she one-timed it past Sauve with 3:52 remaining.
Woken extended Minnesota's lead back to two at 4-2 just 23 seconds into the second period. Cara Piazza sent a pass from the Gophers' red line to Woken, who split two OSU players at the Buckeye blue line and got through on a breakaway and beat Sauve on her stick side.
The Buckeyes again battled back to tie the game as Julianna Iafallo and Skaggs netted second period goals. Iafallo brought the Buckeyes within one, 4-3, midway through the middle frame when she snuck a puck past Gulstene on her glove side before Skaggs netted her second goal of the game at the 17:03 mark of the period.
The teams traded goals late in the third period. Dani Sadek gave Ohio State its first lead of the game with 7:12 to play before Reilly netted her second goal of the game off a feed from Grace Zumwinkle just 54 seconds later.
The Buckeyes held the advantage in overtime, outshooting the Gophers 9-0. OSU then used shootout goals by Skaggs and Iafallo to win the shootout 2-0 and take five-of-six WCHA points from the Gophers for the weekend after winning game one of the series, 3-2, on Friday.
The Gophers hit the road for their first road trip of the 2017-18 season next weekend when the team travels to Bemidji State next Friday and Saturday. Puck drop between the Gophers and Beavers is set for 3 p.m. CT both days.
GopherSports.com is your home for all Gopher Women's Hockey news. Be sure to follow Gopher Women's Hockey on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for behind the scenes info and the latest updates on the program.
###
