Malachino Scores Hat Trick in 7-1 Buckeye Win over Bemidji State

Friday, February 20

Bemidji, Minn.

7 p.m. (6 p.m. CT)

Ohio State

29-4-0, 23-4-0

Bemidji State

6-24-3, 3-23-1

Ohio St.

Bemidji St.

Malachino Scores Hat Trick in 7-1 Buckeye Win over Bemidji State

2/20/2026 9:42:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2 Ohio State women's hockey team skated to a 7-1 win over Bemidji State Friday night at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn. Junior forward Kaia Malachino scored three goals and tied with senior defender Emma Peschel with four points in the game as the Buckeyes improved to 29-4-0 on the year and 23-4-0 in conference play.

Short Story
After leading by just one goal at the first intermission, Ohio State scored three times in each of the next two periods to come away with the 7-1 win in game one of the two-game series at Bemidji State this weekend.

Ohio State finished 3-for-4 on the power play for the second time in three games, with two of the three goals coming from Malachino. Malachino and Emma Peschel tied for the team lead with four points on the day, career-high marks for both platers. Peschel recorded the first assist on all three of Malachino's goals.

In goal for the Buckeyes, Hailey MacLeod made 20 saves on 21 shots faced. Jocelyn Amos won 16 of 23 faceoffs and Peschel and Sara Swiderski both finished the day with two blocked shots.

How it Happened

Ohio State had an early power play opportunity in Friday's game after Bemidji State was called for a trip at 2:18. The Buckeyes scored 30 seconds later, on their first shot on goal of the game, with Kaia Malachino lighting the lamp at 2:48 in the first period. Malachino sent a shot over the glove of Kaitlin Groess for the goal and was assisted by Emma Peschel and Maxine Cimoroni.
Ohio State took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The team outshot the Beavers, 16-5, in the opening frame, but Groess stopped all but the first Buckeye shot on goal.
The Buckeyes' three-goal second period started with a pair of goals from Peschel (5:47) and Malachino (7:49).
Peschel skated the puck from in front of the Ohio State bench to the top of the Beaver goal crease and sent it through the legs of Groesse for the 2-0 Buckeye lead. Kassidy Carmichael recorded the assist.
Two minutes later, Disher won the puck back at center ice and knocked it to Peschel, who skated into the Bemidji State zone alongside Malachino. Malachino received a pass from Peschel in the slot and sent a shot past Groese to make the Ohio State lead three goals.
Bemidji State scored on its only power play opportunity of the game at 9:43 before Sloane Matthews restored the three-goal lead with another Buckeye goal at 13:15. Matthews was assisted by Sanni Vanhanen and Sara Swiderski.
Hailey MacLeod made 13 saves in the middle frame to help Ohio State take the 4-1 advantage after 40 minutes of play.
Ohio State was on the power play to start the third period because of a late second period penalty on the Beavers. Jocelyn Amos scored 28 seconds into the period for the team's second power play goal of the game. Malachino made a pass from the top of the faceoff circle to Matthews behind the goal line. Matthews one-timed a pass to Amos, who was waiting at the top of the crease to knock the puck into the Beavers' goal.
Matthews recorded her second goal of the game at 4:04 in the third period. She stretched to connect on a pass from Maxine Cimoroni and snuck a shot past Groesse.
The Buckeyes went on the power play with under a minute to play in the game and Malachino completed the hat trick just seven seconds into the player advantage to give Ohio State the 7-1 lead at 19:24. Bemidji State won the faceoff to start the power play and, in an attempt to clear the zone, knocked the puck onto the stick of Peschel. Peschel passed across the ice to Malachino, who lined up at the top of the slot to send a shot into the Beaver goal.
MacLeod closed out the game with another seven saves to earn her 19th win of the season.

Game Notes

Malachino recorded her first career hat trick Saturday against Bemidji State. With two power play goals in the game, she has now scored three power play goals in three games for Ohio State and has tied her career high with a team-high five power play goals this season.
Sanni Vanhanen tallied a point in her first game back from the 2026 Olympics. Vanhanen was one of five current Buckeyes who played in the Olympics in Milan this month, skating with Finland and recording a goal in the tournament.
Ohio State moves into first in the WCHA standings with 67 points and one game remaining in the regular season. The team is one point ahead of Wisconsin, who has two games left to play in the regular season.

Statistically Speaking
Shots on Goal: Ohio State 45, Bemidji State 21
Saves: Bemidji State (Groess) 38, Ohio State (MacLeod) 20
Power Play: Bemidji State 1-1, Ohio State 3-4
Faceoffs: Ohio State 32, Minnesota (21)
Ohio State Scoring: Malachino (3-1-4), Peschel (1-3-4), Matthews (2-1-3), Cimoroni (0-2-2), Swiderski (0-2-2), Amos (1-0-1), Carmichael (0-1-1), Disher (0-1-1), Vanhanen (0-1-1)

Up Next
The Buckeyes and Beavers close the regular season tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. from the Sanford Center.. The games will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).

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