Malachino Nets a Hat Trick, Buckeyes Post 5-1 Win over Bemidji State

Saturday, October 31

Columbus, Ohio

3 p.m.

Ohio State

11-1-0, 7-1-0

Bemidji State

1-9-0, 0-8-0

Team	1	2	3	F
Bemidji St.	1	0	0	1
Ohio St.	1	3	1	5

10/31/2026 6:20:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 1 Ohio State women's hockey team earned the series sweep of Bemidji State with a 5-1 win over the Beavers Saturday at the OSU Ice Rink.

The Short Story
Bemidji State (1-9-0, 0-8-0 WCHA) took an early lead in game two, but the lead was short lived. Kaia Malachino recorded the game-tying and game-winning goals for the Buckeyes (11-1-0, 7-1-0 WCHA), and added a third goal in the third period, for the team's second hat trick of the season.

The Buckeyes outshot Bemidji State, 40-13, were a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill, and won the faceoff battle, 37-24, in the win.

How it Happened

After being held without a goal for 57 minutes in Friday's game, Bemdji State recorded the first goal in Saturday's game just 22 seconds into play. Following the goal, Ohio State didn't allow a shot for the next nine and a half minutes.
The Beavers held onto the lead for six minutes before Malachino tied the game at 6:22. She took the puck into the Bemidji State zone and skated through contact to beat the outstretched leg of Beaver goaltender Sophia Villanueva for the equalizer.
The Buckeyes thought they had a second goal with 2:36 to play in the first period, but it was called back for goaltender interference. The team held the Beavers to just three shots in the first as the teams went into the first intermission tied at one.
Malachino doubled the lead with her second goal of the day at 2:38. She toe dragged around a Beaver and put a shot over the blocker of Villanueva for the Buckeye lead and the game-winning goal.
Leah Wicks added onto the Ohio State lead with the team's second goal in the first 10 minutes of the period. She sent a shot through traffic into the Bemidji State goal at 7:25.
Ohio State's third goal of the middle frame was tallied by Maxine Cimoroni at 11:20. A faceoff win by Jocelyn Amos landed on the stick of Kassidy Carmichael, who took the puck behind the goal line. Cimoroni split two defenders and received the pass from Carmichael at the top of the crease and finished the one-on-one with Villanueva five hole.
The Buckeyes led, 4-1, at the second intermission for their seventh game of the season with the advantage entering the final frame. Buckeye netminder Genny Klein stopped all five shots from Bemidji State in the period.
Malachino completed the hat trick with a goal 1:18 into the third period for the final 5-1 score. A shot from Alida Korte rebounded into traffic at the top of the crease and Malachino put the loose puck into the back of the net.
Klein made another five saves in the final period to hold the Beavers to just one goal on the day.

Buckeye Notables

Malachino recorded her first hat trick of the season, and second of her career, Saturday against Bemidji State. Her first career hat trick was recorded last season against the Beavers (Feb. 20, 2026). The performance also marked her first multi-goal game since the last series against the Beavers (Feb. 21, 2026).
Genny Klein made her third start of the season in Saturday's game. She is 2-0-0 on the year in net for the Buckeyes.
Wicks' second period goal was the first goal of her career. The sophomore defender now has five points for her career.
Ohio State is now 6-0-0 on home ice this season.
After finishing 2-for-2 on Saturday, the Buckeye penalty kill improves to 85.4 percent on the year.

Up Next
Ohio State is on a bye week next weekend and returns to play against No. 13 Minnesota Duluth Nov. 13-14 in Columbus. First faceoff between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs is set for 6 p.m. in game one and 2 p.m. in game two. Tickets for Ohio State women's hockey games can be purchased HERE.

#GoBucks