Ohio State
North Dakota**
Buckeyes Conclude Season with 2-1 Loss to No. 8 North Dakota in 3OT – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 28, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Forcing three overtimes vs. the eighth-ranked team in the nation, the Ohio State women’s hockey team fell 2-1 to North Dakota in game two of its first round WCHA playoff series Saturday in Grand Forks, N.D. Ohio State concludes the season with an overall record of 17-16-3 and WCHA standing of 12-13-3-1. Senior Kayla Sullivan scored the Buckeyes’ lone goal in the matchup.
The teams were scoreless following the first period of play. Rookie goalie Kassidy Sauve started in goal for the Scarlet and Gray, marking her 20th start of the season. Sauve registered seven saves, while Ohio State trailed UND 7-5 in shots during the first.
Both regulation goals were tallied in the second, with UND claiming a 1-0 lead nine minutes into the stanza. North Dakota’s Samantha Hanson scored her third goal of the season, while Meghan Dufault added the helper. However, Ohio State wouldn’t go down without a fight. With the clock winding down, Sullivan found the back of the net for a Buckeye goal. Her fellow seniors Danielle Gagne and Sara Schmitt contributed assists on the play. The goal was Sullivan’s sixth of the season. For the period, North Dakota held a 5-3 advantage in shots.
The third period, as well as the first two overtime stanzas, were scoreless. UND ended the final period of regulation outshooting the Buckeyes 7-6. Ohio State beefed up the offensive pressure in the first overtime, with a 14-4 advantage in shots. UND again outshot the Buckeyes in the second and third overtimes 14-8 and 5-1, respectively. Sauve was a force in goal with 14 saves in the second overtime alone and 22 in bonus time overall.
North Dakota notched the go-ahead goal just over three minutes into the third overtime. Amy Menke scored the game-winning goal off a feed from Dufault and Becca Kohler.
UND outshot the Buckeyes 42-37 for the game. Sauve earned 40 saves in all 103:17 of play, while North Dakota goalie Shelby Amsley-Benzie countered with 36 stops.
Twelve penalties were issued in the game. The Buckeye power play unit went 0-for-2. On the penalty kill, Ohio State was 4-for-4.
