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Gophers Visit Buckeyes in Top-Three Clash
2/12/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team heads to Columbus, Ohio, for its final regular-season road series. The Gophers will face the Buckeyes in a two-game slate beginning Friday, Feb. 13 at 5:00 p.m. CT and concluding Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:00 p.m. CT. All the action will stream live on B1G+ and air on FOX9+.
#3 Minnesota Gophers (24-5-1, 18-5-1 WCHA) at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes (26-4-0, 20-4-0 WCHA)
Date: Feb. 13, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
Stream: FOX9+
Location: Columbus, Ohio
#3 Minnesota Gophers (24-5-1, 18-5-1 WCHA) at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes (26-4-0, 20-4-0 WCHA)
Date: Feb. 14, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Stream: FOX9+
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Last Time Out
Minnesota skates into the weekend after collecting five points in a series against St. Thomas. The Gophers earned a 4-1 win Friday night before claiming a shootout victory in a 1-1 tie on Saturday to secure two additional conference points.
Scouting the Buckeyes
Ohio State enters the weekend second in the WCHA standings with 58 points, just ahead of Minnesota (55). The Buckeyes are also ranked No. 2 nationally with a 26-4-0 record (20-4-0 WCHA) and remain without five Olympians. Junior forward Jocelyn Amos leads the Buckeyes with 31 points (16g, 15a), followed closely by senior forward Sloane Matthews with 30 points (12g, 18a). Hailey MacLeod has been solid in net, recording four shutouts with a .927 save percentage and 1.61 goals-against average in 19 starts. Former Gopher Nadine Muzerall is in her 10th season at the helm, owning a 250-85-22 career record.
Inside the Series
Minnesota leads the all-time series 85-31-7. The teams split their October series at Ridder Arena, with Ohio State taking game one 4-1 before the Gophers responded with a 6-3 win. Minnesota is 37-12-3 all-time on the road against the Buckeyes.
Home Ice Secured
Following last week's results, Minnesota has clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. The Gophers will host a best-of-three quarterfinal series at Ridder Arena, continuing their pursuit of a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Clark Earns Third WCHA Weekly Honor
Hannah Clark was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week after a standout weekend against St. Thomas. Clark stopped 56 shots over two games, posting a .967 save percentage and a 0.96 goals-against average while going 1-0-1. She also turned aside all three shootout attempts Saturday. Clark improved to 17-3-1 with three shutouts and owns 493 saves, a .928 save percentage, and a 1.85 GAA. She ranks fifth nationally with an .833 winning percentage and is a semifinalist for the HCA Women's Hockey Goaltender of the Year Award.
Murphy Milestones
Graduate forward Abbey Murphy continues her climb up the Minnesota record books. Murphy is tied for first all-time in program history with 139 career goals and ranks second in career points (253). She now also holds the program record for game-winning goals (24) and tied the single-game program record with seven points earlier this season.
Gophers on the Olympic Stage
Minnesota will be without four skaters until WCHA postseason play due to Olympic participation: Nelli Laitinen (FIN), Abbey Murphy (USA), Josefin Bouveng (SWE), and Tereza Plosová (CZE). This series marks the fifth and sixth games the quartet will miss during the 2026 Winter Games.
Money Morrow
Sydney Morrow was the shootout hero last weekend, scoring the lone goal in the shootout to secure the extra conference point.
Elite Offense
Minnesota enters the weekend as the No. 2 scoring offense nationally with 155 goals. The Gophers rank second in goals, assists (264), points (419), and scoring offense (5.17 goals per game).
Balanced Attack
Seven Gophers have 10 or more goals, and six players have at least 30 points, highlighting Minnesota's scoring depth.
Winning the Margins
Minnesota ranks third nationally in scoring margin, outscoring opponents 155-63 (+3.07 per game).
Front-Running Gophers
Minnesota has dominated when jumping out to an early lead this season. The Gophers are 15-0-1 when leading after the first period and 18-0-1 when leading after two periods.
Three Is the Key
The Gophers are 24-0-0 when scoring at least three goals this season.
Against the Ranked
The Gophers have recorded an impressive 13-3-0 mark against ranked opponents this season. The wins include two victories over No. 1 ranked teams, a win over No. 2, and two wins over No. 4 ranked teams.
Blue Line Production
With Laitinen away, Minnesota's blue line continues to contribute. Sydney Morrow ranks second nationally among defenders in points (30), sixth in goals (8), and fourth in assists (22), while Chloe Primerano ranks sixth in goals (8) and sits in the top 10 with 23 points.
Freshman Standout
Bella Fanale has shined in her first collegiate season, centering Minnesota's top line. She ranks fourth among freshmen with 16 goals and sixth in freshman scoring with 32 points.
Hovland Heating Up
Freshman forward Avery Hovland has stepped up since the departure of Minnesota's Olympians, scoring two goals in the past three games.
Between the Pipes
Clark ranks 15th nationally in goals-against average (1.85), 25th in save percentage (.928), and tied for 16th with three shutouts. She also owns the fifth-highest goalie winning percentage (.833).
Special Teams Success
Minnesota ranks fourth nationally on the power play (.304) and ninth in total power-play goals (24).
National Recognition
Minnesota remains the No. 3 team in the nation for the ninth consecutive week.
Behind the Bench
Frost, in his 19th season leading the Gophers, holds a career record of 552-126-43, four national championships, and seven conference titles. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coach Mitch Baker, and assistant coach/general manager Jessica Scott also return to the staff.
Quest for Eight
Minnesota continues its pursuit of an eighth national championship, having already claimed seven titles (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).