Ohio State women’s ice hockey takes back-to-back games against Minnesota State

Alexis Soares
Mon, 10 Nov 2014 04:20:41 +0000
Ice Hockey, Sports, Julia McKinnon, Kassidy Sauve, Ohio State women's ice hockey, Stacy Danczak

OSU junior forward Julia McKinnon faces off with a Western Ontario player Sept. 28 during an exhibition match at the OSU Ice Rink. OSU and Western Ontario tied 2-2 in OT.
Credit: Melissa Prax / Lantern photographer

The Ohio State women’s hockey team swept Minnesota State this weekend, outshooting them in both games of the series.

OSU beat the Mavericks, 3-1, on Friday before picking up the second win, 2-0, on Saturday in Mankato, Minn.

Minnesota State redshirt-sophomore goalie Brianna Quade made 36 saves in her third career start in the game on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Buckeyes, now 7-3-0 on the season.

The Mavericks started off the second game of the series playing competitively at the net early in the first period. They tested the Buckeye goaltender with five shots on net for the period.

OSU redshirt-junior Stacy Danczak earned her first career start as goalie for the Buckeyes. She was credited with 17 stops, leading to a shutout.

OSU wasn’t able to capitalize on three power plays in the first period, leaving both teams scoreless at the end of the period. The momentum of the game shifted in the Buckeyes’ favor starting in the second.

When the Mavericks turned the puck over in their own zone, senior forward Danielle Gagne beat Quade on a glove side shot on net. This goal put OSU in the lead, 1-0.

The Mavericks tried to get on the board in the third period but OSU’s defense wasn’t letting anything through. Junior forward Kendall Curtis sealed the deal with a goal at 18:50. OSU finished the game with a 2-0 score, outshooting MSU by 21.

The Buckeyes came off the bench hot in the first game of the series, scoring their first goal only three minutes into the opening period.

Sophomore defenseman Breanne Grant scored her first goal of the season to put the Buckeyes on the board, 1-0. The second goal came just two minutes later from sophomore forward Haley Studler. Studler scored her first goal of the season as well. The goal came off of a pass in front of the net by Grant.

The Buckeyes led, 2-0, after the first period of play.

At the start of the second period, the Mavericks had two power-play opportunities but couldn’t capitalize. The teams headed to the locker room to end the second period with the Buckeyes having a lead of 12-11 for shots on net.

OSU added its third goal early in the third. With her fifth goal of the season, junior forward Julia McKinnon pushed the Buckeyes to a 3-0 lead. But MSU wasn’t giving up so easily.

Just minutes after McKinnon’s goal, the Mavericks scored a power-play goal, ending the game with a 3-1 score.

Freshman goalie Kassidy Sauve started her ninth-consecutive game this season and ?was credited with 16 saves.

OSU doesn’t get much time to rest before it hosts Mercyhurst on Tuesday. The face-off is set to start at 6:07 p.m.