Ohio State
29-6-0
Minnesota (WCHA Final Faceoff Championship) **
29-8-1
No. 2 Ohio State Takes Down No. 1 Minnesota, Wins Final Faceoff Trophy
3/6/2022 6:52:34 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Box Score | Schedule | Roster | Season Stats
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2 Ohio State women’s hockey team scored three unanswered goals against No. 1 Minnesota on Sunday in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship game to take a 3-2 overtime win over the Gophers and win the program’s second conference tournament trophy in program history. With the win, the Buckeyes (29-6-0, 21-6-0 WCHA) earn the league’s automatic qualification into the NCAA Tournament.
“It kind of feels like a national championship—you have number one and two in the country, and honestly, at this time of the year, it’s anybody’s game. I thought it was a back-and-forth game all the way through,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “I just really commend us for coming back from being down two to nothing against the number one team in the country and fighting and finding a way to do it.”
How it Happened
It only took 23 seconds of overtime for the Buckeyes to secure the conference tournament trophy. Sophie Jaques, the 2022 WCHA Defender of the Year and Patty Kazmaier Top 10 Finalist, took a shot on Minnesota’s Lauren Bench that was initially saved, but she collected her own rebound and buried it in the back of the net.
Ohio State fought its way back from a late two-goal deficit to bring the game to overtime. After a scoreless first period between the top two teams in the country, Minnesota managed to score twice in the second period to take a 2-0 lead with 20 minutes of regulation to play.
Buckeye senior Sara Saekkinen put the Buckeyes on the board at 3:34 into the third period for Ohio State’s first of three unanswered goals. The senior connected with Lauren Bernard and Gabby Rosenthal in front of the Gophers goal to cut Minnesota’s lead to one.
Jaques, who was named the 2022 WCHA Final Faceoff’s Most Outstanding Player, scored her first goal with 9:34 to play in regulation. Sliding into the slot, she sent a pass from Clair DeGeorge past Bench to tie the game at two-all with under 10 minutes to play in regulation.
Ohio State netminder Amanda Thiele posted another 30-plus save game, stopping 31 Minnesota shots to backstop the Buckeyes to the win.
Game Notes
- Liz Schepers, Sara Saekkinen, Sophie Jaques and Amanda Thiele all earned All-Tournament honors.
- Jaques’ is only the second Buckeye to be named the WCHA Final Faceoff Most Outstanding Player.
- Ohio State has now won the 2022 WCHA Final Faceoff twice in the last three seasons. The team’s first title came in 2020.
- Sophie Jaques’ two goal game ties her career-high goals in a single game. She has scored twice in five games this season for the Buckeyes.
- The two goals put Jaques at 57 points for the season and 105 for her career. The defenseman has now scored the third-most points in the country this season and is averaging the third most points per game this season (1.6286) nationally.
- Sara Saekkinen’s goal was just her second of the season. The senior from Pirkkala, Finland has now recorded 11 points on the year.
- Ohio State finished the season with an undefeated 4-0-0 record at Ridder Arena this year. Prior to the WCHA Final Faceoff, the Buckeyes swept their regular season series against Minnesota in the fall.
- Ohio State improves to 31-35-0 all-time in the WCHA playoffs.
Statistically Speaking
Shots: Ohio State 64, Minnesota 61
Saves: Ohio State (Thiele) 31, Minnesota (Bench) 26
Power Play: Ohio State 1-2, Minnesota 0-1
Faceoffs: Minnesota 33, Ohio State 33
Ohio State Scoring: Jaques (2-0-0), Saekkinen (1-0-1), Brengman (0-1-1), Gabby Rosenthal (0-1-1), Bernard (0-1-1), Schepers (0-1-1)
Up Next
With the Final Faceoff title win, Ohio State received the WCHA’s automatic qualification to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes await tonight’s announcement of the tournament field to find out who, when and where they will play next. The 2022 NCAA Tournament will feature 11 teams with the top three seeds hosting first and second round games. The Frozen Four will be held in University Park, Pa. from March 18-20.
#GoBucks
