No. 10 Women’s Hockey Defeats No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth, 2-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Dec. 2, 2000
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind an outstanding team effort, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team shut out visiting Minnesota-Duluth, 2-0, Saturday night at the OSU Ice Arena. The win was OSU’s first over the defending WCHA champion Bulldogs. After taking three conference points from UMD this weekend, the Buckeyes are holding on to fourth place in the WCHA. Currently, OSU is 6-7-2 overall and 4-4-2 in the WCHA, while UMD stands at 9-4-1 overall and 7-4-1 in the WCHA. Right wing Melissa Pirie (So., Islington, Ontario/Etobicoke Collegiate) scored the gamewinner at 6:22 in the second period, her second goal of the season. April Stojak (So., Kent, Ohio/Shattuck St. Mary’s) stopped an impressive 36 UMD shots for a perfect 1.00 save percentage.
Despite combining for 29 shots on net, neither team was able to score in the first stanza.
At 6:22 in the second, Corinne Rosen (Sr., Milwaukee, Wis./Pomfret) took advantage of a UMD turnover and delivered a pass right on goal to Pirie, who fired the puck past Bulldog goalie Tuula Puputti.
“Corinne and Melissa combined for a beautiful goal,” Jackie Barto, OSU head coach said. “It was off an aggressive forecheck. Corinne got it to goal, Melissa one-timed it.”
The Bulldogs were unable to convert on three-consecutive power-play opportunities in the third period. At 8:02, again following a UMD turnover, Shana Frost (So., Frankford, Ontario/Bayside) put the finishing touches on the OSU victory, netting her seventh of the season. Frost and Rosen lead all Buckeye scorers with 12 points.
OSU was unable to convert on eight power-play opportunites but was a perfect 100 percent on the penalty-kill. The Buckeyes held the Bulldogs scoreless through seven power-play opportunties. The OSU power-play unit was 14-for-14 on the weekend.
The Buckeyes were outshot for the second-consecutive game, 36-21. Stojak played a combined 115:02 through two games and recorded 63 saves. Her overall save percentage was .913. NU’s Tuula Puputti played 58:25 Saturday and stopped 18 Buckeye shots.
“It’s a great feeling,” Barto said. “I felt the difference tonight was our work ethic. We worked hard for 60 minutes. I thought we played well as a team. We took advantage of turnovers and put the puck in the net and I thought our penalty kills made a big difference. Everyone did their job on the ice, it was a great team effort.
“Both Jeanne Chapple and Corinne Rosen’s lines played very well. Stojak had her best game of the season so far. She stayed out there, she was aggressive and seemed confident. We look for her to build on that the rest of the way.”
Ohio State returns to the OSU Ice Arena next weekend for the last home series of 2000. The Buckeyes play host to the St. Cloud State Huskies at 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9.
