Ohio State
22-5-0, 18-5-0
St. Cloud State
9-17-2, 4-16-2
Schepers’ Four-Goal Game Leads Buckeyes Past Huskies, 6-2
2/8/2022 6:16:28 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Box Score | Schedule | Roster | Season Stats
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2 Ohio State women’s hockey team defeated St. Cloud State 6-2 in a Tuesday matinee matchup in St. Cloud, Minn. The Buckeyes improve to 22-5-0 on the year and 18-5-0 in WCHA contests as St. Cloud State falls to 9-17-2 overall and 4-16-2 in conference play.
How it Happened
Liz Schepers dominated the first period for the Buckeyes, scoring both goals of the period for the team. She put Ohio State on the board at 2:49, sending a one-time shot from the slot past St. Cloud State’s Sanni Ahola. The Buckeye captain scored again at 7:51, this time it was a one-timer off a rebounded shot in front of the Husky net.
St. Cloud State cut into the Buckeye lead with 1:58 to play in the period and Ohio State took a one-goal lead into the first intermission.
Schepers kept her success rolling into the second period, recording her first career hat trick with a goal at 12:01 into the frame. She sent a shot from the left faceoff circle to the St. Cloud State cage and it snuck past Ahola to give Ohio State a two-goal lead.
The Huskies had a response yet again, scoring their second goal of the game at 13:47 forcing Ohio State to take a 3-2 lead with 20 minutes to play in regulation. The Buckeyes outshot the Huskies 19-7 in the second stanza.
Ohio State continued to build its lead in the third period with goals from Lexi Templeman, Brook Bink and another from Schepers. Templeman capitalized off a rebounded shot at 8:26 to restore Ohio State’s two-goal lead. Bink and Templeman connected again at 10:01 as Templeman dished the puck behind the St. Cloud State goal to Bink who wrapped around and slipped it past Ahola.
Schepers ended capped off her career-high day the same way she started it – with a one-time shot into the Husky net. The Buckeyes carried the four-goal lead for the final 2:07 of the game.
Amanda Thiele earned the win in net for the Buckeyes, posting 17 saves.
Game Notes
- Graduate Liz Schepers had herself a day, scoring the first hattrick of her career on the Buckeyes’ first three goals of the game and a program-best tying four goals in the game. An Ohio State player had scored four goals in a game just three times prior to Tuesday and Olympian Emma Maltais was the last to do it during the 2019-20 season.
- The game marked just the second time this season and eighth time of her career that Schepers has scored at least two goals in a game. The native of Mound, Minn. is on a six-game point streak and has recorded a point in 17 of the team’s last 18 contests and eight goals in the last five games.
- Amanda Thiele recorded her 10th win of the season against the Huskies. She improves to 12-2-0 for her career.
- Nine Buckeyes recorded a point against St. Cloud with Schepers, Brooke Bink, Paetyn Levis, Eve Savander and Lexi Templeman earning multipoint performances.
- Levis took a team season-high 11 shots on goal in the game. Ohio State outshot St. Cloud State 45-19. The Buckeyes have held their opponents to fewer than 20 shots in 15 games this season.
- Bink and Savander dished a season-best two assists in the contest. Both matched their career single-game assist record while Savander met her single-game points record.
- Schepers and Sophie Jaques led the Buckeyes with a +3 on ice rating against St. Cloud State.
- With the win, Ohio State sweeps the regular season series against the Huskies 3-0.
Statistically Speaking
Shots: Ohio State 45, St. Cloud State 19
Saves: St. Cloud State (Ahola) 39, Ohio State (Thiele) 17
Power Play: Ohio State 0-1, St. Cloud State 0-1
Faceoffs: Ohio State 26, St. Cloud State 24
Ohio State Scoring: Schepers (4-0-4), Bink (1-1-2), Templeman (1-1-2), Levis (0-2-2), Savander (0-2-2), Bernard (0-1-1), Buglioni (0-1-1), Hauswirth (0-1-1), Rosenthal (0-1-1)
Up Next
The Buckeyes conclude their Minnesota road trip at Bemidji State this weekend. Puck drop from the Sanford Center is set for 7 p.m. ET Friday and 4 p.m. ET Saturday and the games will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).
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