Women’s Hockey Begins Conference Play On The Road – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Oct. 17, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio–The Ohio State women’s ice hockey team (1-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) opened the 2000-01 regular season with a 4-1 win over Findlay Sunday at the OSU Ice Arena.
Unbeaten for the first time in the program’s two-year history, the Buckeyes face defending national champion Minnesota (2-0-0, 2-0-0 WCHA) in both teams’ conference opener this weekend.
“We’re looking forward to going to Minneapolis and to the challenge of playing the Minnesota Gophers,” Jackie Barto, OSU head coach, said. “We feel that we’re a much-improved team and we’re excited to get into WCHA play.”
BUCKEYES IN THE POLLS
The Buckeyes received six votes in the U.S. College Hockey Online Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Poll. The poll, published on Oct. 16, consists of ten voters, all coaches from Division I teams.
USCHO.COM DIV. 1 WOMEN’S POLL
As of Oct. 16, 2000
Team (Points)
1. Dartmouth (93) 2. Minnesota (92) 3. Minnesota-Duluth (84) 4. Brown (65) 5. Harvard (60) 6. St. Lawrence (39) 7. Northeastern (34) 8. New Hampshire (30) 9. Niagara (18) 10.Wisconsin (13)
Others receiving votes: Providence (11), Ohio State (6),
Princeton (4), Cornell (1)
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
The Minnesota Golden Gophers captured the 2000 American Women’s College Hockey Alliance (AWCHA) national title last season, defeating Brown, 4-2. Fourth-year head coach Laura Halldorson returns 15 letterwinners and adds nine rookies to a squad that is looking to improve on a 32-6-1 record and repeat as national champions.
Senior left wing Nadine Muzerall led not only the Gopher offensive attack last season but also the nation with 49 goals and 28 assists for 77 points.
Despite the loss of 2000 WCHA defensive player of the year Winny Brodt, who joined the U.S. National Select Team, the Gophers return five seniors on the blueline, including two-time All-America selection Courtney Kennedy.
Erica Killewald returns for her senior season between the pipes for the Gophers. Killewald, who posted a 17-6-1 record and a 1,89 goals against average last season, consistently has ranked among the top three goalies nationally in shutouts and sits atop all other active goaltenders with 57 career wins.
Minnesota is unbeaten after defeating conference foe St. Cloud State, 4-1 and 5-4 in a two-game home series Oct. 14-15.
THE BUCKEYES VS. THE GOPHERS-THE SERIES
The Buckeyes are 0-4 overall against the Gophers. The two teams last met Feb. 4-5, 2000 at Mariucci Arena, and UM won, 4-1 and 6-0.
THE BUCKEYES VS. THE GOPHERS-LAST YEAR
Katie Frohreich and Shana Frost lead the Buckeyes in total points against Minnesota with one each. Frohreich scored her first collegiate goal against the Gophers Nov. 13, and Frost scored an unassisted goal in OSU’s 4-1 loss to UM Feb. 4.
HEAD COACH JACKIE BARTO
Jackie Barto enters her second season at the helm of the Ohio State women’s ice hockey program. She was named the first head coach in the program’s history Dec. 14, 1998. Barto led the squad to an 8-26-3 overall record and a 6-15-3 WCHA conference finish in its inaugural season last year. In addition, she coached the Buckeyes in their first-ever postseason tournament, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Championship. There, the No. 5-seeded Buckeyes upset higher seeds No. 4 St. Cloud and No. 3 Wisconsin to claim third place.
Barto came to Ohio State from Providence College, where she was the head coach of the Friars for five years. Under Barto’s guidance, the PC women’s hockey program flourished, compiling a record of 70-53-10 in her four years at the helm.
FINDLAY RECAP
Ohio State opened the 2000-01 season Sunday afternoon at home with a 4-1 victory over Findlay. Freshman defender Emma Laaksonen put the Buckeyes on the board in the first period, registering her first collegiate goal. Center Corinne Rosen extended OSU’s lead to 2-0 with an unassisted goal less than three minutes later. Rosen struck again in the second period with the Buckeyes’ second power-play goal of the afternoon and Rosen’s second of the season. Katie Frohreich closed out the Buckeyes’ scoring drive with a 5-on-3 power-play goal in the third. Buckeye goalie April Stojak stopped 16 Oiler shots and OSU outshot UF 39-17.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Three out of four OSU goals Sunday were power-play goals as the Buckeyes went 3-for-5 (60.0%) with the advantage.
The Buckeye penalty-kill unit held Findlay scoreless on two opportunities for a perfect 100 percent.
OSU leads the league in power-play (3/5) and penalty-kill (2/2) percentage and combined special teams (5/7).
EVERYTHING’S COMING UP “ROSEN”
Senior center Corinne Rosen had a two-goal game Sunday against Findlay. Her first, at 10:57 in the first period, was unassisted. She scored the gamewinner for OSU, also a power-play goal, at 6:47 in the second period. She currently is among the top players in the WCHA.
Rosen, one of four OSU captains this season, led the team in scoring last year with 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points.
FRESHMEN ON ICE
Five out of six Buckeye freshmen saw action against Findlay Sunday, and three recorded points. Emma Laaksonen scored her first collegiate goal, Kelli Halcisak picked up two assists, and Erin O’Grady added an assist.
Halcisak currently is tied for fifth in the league with two assists and is second in power-play points with two. Rosen and Halcisak lead the team in total points with two each.
SOLID STOJAK
Sophomore April Stojak has held her own between the pipes for the Buckeyes through the first two games.
In OSU’s exhibition game against Toronto, Stojak saved all 22 Blues shots and did not allow a goal.
Stojak recorded her first win of the season against Findlay, stopping 16 Oiler shots and only allowing one goal in 60:00 of play.
Stojak currently is second in the WCHA with a 1.00 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.
FIRST “GOAL” REACHED
Just as they did against Toronto Oct. 7, the Buckeyes scored first and early against Findlay. Coach Barto said scoring first will be the goal “every day” this season.
“[Scoring the first goal] gets you going, it gives you confidence,” Barto said. “It automatically puts the pressure on the other team. It was huge for us.”
ON THE WEB
For up-to-the-minute women’s hockey scores, rankings and team information within the WCHA and around the nation, check out collegehockeystats.com. Information on the women’s hockey team and all 34 other varsity sports also is available on the official website of Ohio State Athletics, ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED
Corinne Rosen, Lindsey Ogren, Melissa Glaser and Emily Hudak have been named captains for the 2000-01 season.
UP NEXT
Ohio State returns to the OSU Ice Arena next weekend. The Buckeyes will face off against the New Hampshire Wildcats in a two-game series at 7:05 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 and 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Tickets will be available at the gate or by calling 1-800-GO-BUCKS.
