Women’s Hockey Battles St. Cloud State in Last Home Series of 2000 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Dec. 6, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio-The No. 9 Ohio State women’s ice hockey team (6-7-2 overall, 4-4-2 in the WCHA) is coming off a series split with No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth last weekend. After falling, 7-1, Dec. 1, the Buckeyes bounced back and shut out the visiting Huskies, 2-0, Dec. 2. The win was OSU’s first over defending WCHA champion UMD and helped secure a fourth-place standing in the conference.
ON TAP THIS WEEKEND
The Buckeyes return home for the second-consecutive weekend to take on the Huskies of St. Cloud State. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the OSU Ice Arena.
“This is a challenging week because of final exams and the pressures that our student-athletes face,” Jackie Barto, OSU head coach said. “We’re really emphasizing to our team to focus on exams and then once those are done to focus on the two games with St. Cloud. They are two very significant games for our program, especially coming off a big win. We want to have the same consistent effort that we had Saturday against Duluth.”
MINNESOTA-DULUTH SERIES RECAP
OSU defeated Minnesota-Duluth, 2-0, Saturday at the OSU Ice Arena.
Melissa Pirie scored the gamewinner, her second goal of the season. April Stojak stopped an impressive 36 UMD shots for a perfect 1.00 save percentage.
At 6:22 in the second, Corinne Rosen took advantage of a UMD turnover and delivered a pass right on goal to Pirie, who fired the puck past Bulldog goalie Tuula Puputti.
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 put the finishing touches on the OSU victory, netting her seventh of the season.
“It’s a great feeling,” Barto said. “I felt the difference was our work ethic. We worked hard for 60 minutes. We played well as a team. We took advantage of turnovers and put the puck in the net and I thought our penalty kills also made a big difference.”
Despite falling, 7-1, to the Bulldogs Friday, two Buckeyes reached important milestones. Rosen earned an assist on OSU’s lone goal, the 100th point of her career. Carrie Gill scored the Buckeyes’ only tally, her first-career goal.
BUCKEYES IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
In the Top 10 poll released Monday by U.S. College Hockey Online, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team is ranked No. 9 in the nation. The ranking is the program’s highest ever and comes following OSU’s 2-0 win over Minnesota-Duluth.
Three other Western Collegiate Hockey Association teams are among the Top 10-No. 2 Minnesota, No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth and No. 7 Wisconsin.
The poll consists of ten voters, all coaches from Division I teams.
Ohio State received six votes in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll this week.
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-seed 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. Under Barto’s guidance, the PC women’s hockey program flourished, compiling a record of 70-53-10 in her five years at the helm.
SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE
Kerry Brodt Wethington is in her third season at the helm of a Husky squad which skated to a 13-19-3 overall record last year.
Fourteen returning letterwinners make up the core of the 2000-01 SCSU squad, which currently is 6-8-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the WCHA.
Frosh Ricki-Lee Doyle leads the Huskies in scoring with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points. Rachel Denner follows with eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points.
Sophomore Laura Gieselman and freshman Ellen Brinkman will share goaltending duties this season for the Huskies. In 13 games, Gieselman has amassed an .887 save percentage and a 3.83 goals against average. Brinkman has seen action in two games and has a .964 save percentage and a 0.50 gaa.
THE HUSKIES-LAST TIME OUT
St. Cloud State last faced Princeton, Dec. 1-2, and fell, 5-4, Friday and 4-3 in overtime Saturday. Roxanne Stang scored two goals Friday and Doyle picked up three assists.
THE BUCKEYES-HUSKIES SERIES
The Buckeyes are 2-2-1 overall versus the Huskies. These two teams last met March 2, 2000, in the first round of the WCHA championships. OSU won, 3-2.
BARTO ON ST. CLOUD STATE
“St. Cloud has an outstanding power-play percentage (36.5%), the best in the league. We have the top penalty-kill (86.4) in the league.
“Their goaltender gave us fits last year. We need to put one in early on her. They also have some defensemen who can skate the puck, something similar to what we saw last weekend. They’re a very good team and much-improved over last year.”
ROSEN HITS CENTURY MARK
Corinne Rosen earned an assist Friday against UMD, the 100th point of her collegiate career (50-50=100). She recorded two assists on the weekend.
Rosen is tied with Shana Frost for first on the team in scoring with six goals and six assists for 12 points. Currently, Rosen is tied for fifth in the WCHA for game-winning goals with two.
GILL’S FIRST GOAL
Carrie Gill scored the Buckeyes’ lone goal Friday-the first of her career-on only one shot. Each of Gill’s three points have come in her second season. The sophomore left wing currently has a goal and two assists for three points.
STOJAK STAYS SOLID
Sophomore April Stojak held her own between the pipes for the Buckeyes in the Minnesota-Duluth series.
Stojak had her best game of the season Saturday, recording a season-high 36 saves in 60:00 for the shutout win. Saturday, Stojak stopped 27 UMD shots and earned an .818 save percentage. She has started all 15 games for OSU this season, racking up 903.31 minutes, an .878 save percentage and a 2.59 gaa.
“Stojak stayed out there, she was aggressive and seemed confident,” Barto said. “We look for her to build on that the rest of the way.”
Stojak’s 2.59 gaa places her third among all WCHA goaltenders.
BUCKEYES KILLING PENALTIES
The Buckeyes held the Bulldogs scoreless through 14-of-14 OSU penalties last weekend. Not one of UMD’s seven goals Friday came on the power-play.
Ohio State leads the WCHA in penalty kills with 57-of-66, or 86.4%.
Last season, OSU led the nation in penalties/minutes (277/573).
“FROST” ON THE ICE
Shana Frost scored at 8:22 in the third period Saturday to put the Buckeyes ahead of Duluth, 2-0. Frost has scored a goal in each of the Buckeyes’ last three-consecutive series. Currently, Frost leads the Buckeyes in scoring with seven goals and five assists for 12 points.
PIRIE’S POINTS
Buckeye wing Melissa Pirie scored the game-winning goal Saturday to help lead Ohio State to its first win over Minnesota-Duluth. Rosen connected with Pirie directly in front of the Bulldog net.
“Corinne and Melissa combined for a beautiful goal,” Barto said. “It was off an aggressive forecheck. Corinne got it to goal, Melissa one-timed it.”
THE POWER-PLAY POWERHOUSE
Emma Laaksonen continues to come through for Ohio State on the power-play. All but one of the rookie defender’s eight points have come on the power-play. Laaksonen is tied for second overall in the WCHA for power-play goals with five.
Laaksonen also played a pivotal role in the Buckeye penalty-kill unit, which over the weekend went 14-for-14, or 100%.
BUCKEYES ON A POWER [PLAY] TRIP
As of Nov. 27, Ohio State is fifth in the WCHA in overall power-play percentage, having converted 12-of-79 (15.2%) opportunities. Last season, OSU converted 17-of-193 power-play opportunities, or 8.8%.
THE FIRST “GOAL”
Scoring first has been a goal for the Buckeyes all season.
“[Scoring the first goal] gets you going, it gives you confidence,” Barto said. “It automatically puts the pressure on the other team.”
OSU is 4-1-1 after scoring first and 2-6-1 when scored on first.
FOLLOW THE BUCKEYES ONLINE
Information on the Ohio State women’s hockey team, was well as 34 other Buckeye sports, is available online at the official website of OSU athletics, ohiostatebuckeyes.com. For up-to-the minute women’s hockey scores, statistics and standings around the league and the nation, check out www.collegehockeystats.com.
WCHA CHAMPIONSHIP
All seven teams in the WCHA will participate in the WCHA Championship, which will be held March 8, 9 and 10, 2001 at Recreation Center in Rochester, Minn.
NCAA GIVES APPROVAL
The NCAA announced Jan. 18, 2000 that its membership adopted legislation to establish an official championship in women’s ice hockey, effective with the 2000-01 season. The 2001 championship will be held March 23-24 at Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena.
CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED
Corinne Rosen, Lindsey Ogren, Melissa Glaser and Emily Hudak have been named captains for the 2000-01 season.
Rosen led the team in goals (16), assists (17) and points (33). Ogren finished third on the team in scoring with 10 goals and five assists, equaling 15 points. She was the lone member of the Buckeye squad to earn a spot on the inaugural WCHA All-Tournament Team. Glaser appeared in 21 games between the pipes last season and averaged 26.4 saves per game. She also carried a 3.20 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. Hudak led the Buckeye defense in goals (6) and assists (6) last season and led the entire team in shots on goal with 143.
THE BUCKEYES UP NEXT
Ohio State will take two weeks off for the holidays before traveling to New York.
The Buckeyes face off against top-ranked St. Lawrence at 2 p.m. Dec. 30, then head to Cornell for a 2 p.m. game Dec. 31 and end up at Lake Placid, N.Y. and the Olympic Village, where they will battle the U.S. National Team at 11:00 a.m. Jan. 2, 2001.
