DOWNLOAD: Ohio State Postgame Press Conference Video // Final Stats
ERIE, Pa. – For the second time in four years, the Ohio State women’s hockey team will play on the biggest stage in women’s college hockey. And the Buckeyes (13-6) got there on Thursday night with a dominant second and third periods to secure a 3-1 win over Boston College (14-6) in the NCAA quarterfinals at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pa.
“We played relentlessly today,” said head coach Nadine Muzerall. “You have to give Boston College a lot of credit. They came out flying today and capitalized when they needed to. We were a little bit back on our heels but regrouped and dominated in the second and third and were rewarded for our success. It was just that we won and are going to the Frozen Four, it was how we won and came back and fought.”
And how they won was with relentless offensive pressure that produced a 43-8 shot advantage of the final two periods. Despite peppering Boston College goalie Abigail Levy, the Eagles still held a 1-0 lead late in the second period. But a flurry of two goals – the first coming from Jenna Buglioni and the second off the stick of Brooke Bink – turned the tide in Ohio State’s favor and the Buckeyes never looked back.
Gabby Rosenthal added an insurance goal at the 13:30 mark of the third period for the final 3-1 score, setting up a date with No. 2 Wisconsin the second national semifinal on Thursday night. It will be the sixth meeting this season between the Buckeyes and Badgers. The two teams split the four games in the regular season and Wisconsin earned a 3-2 overtime victory on March 7 in the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game.
⏩🏒 @OhioStateWHKY 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱
🎥 Quick Wrap: 🚨🚨🚨➕🎉
NEXT: NCAA Semis vs. Wisconsin 7pm Thursday on @ESPNU
— Ohio State Buckeyes 🌰 (@OhioStAthletics) March 17, 2021
The path to this year’s Frozen Four was a familiar one, as the last time the Buckeyes advanced to the national semifinals they did so by knocking off the Eagles 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Five players from that team remain on this year’s squad, including Tatum Skaggs, who had two assists on the night and took eight shots. Skaggs leads the team with 11 assists on the season.
“This feeling right now is something that we deserve to feel,” said Skaggs. “We’re excited because we deserved to go to the national tournament last year and it just did happen. But our time is finally now.”
Ohio State’s top line of Skaggs, Emma Maltais and Liz Schepers produced four points while two of the three goals scorers were from the second line: Buglioni and Rosenthal. Goalie Andrea Braendli made 12 saves on the night.
Thursday night’s game will be aired live on ESPNU. The first semifinal will pit No. 1-seeded Northeastern against No. 5 Minnesota Duluth.
Final Stats:
Shots: Ohio State 48, Boston College 13
Saves: Boston College (Levy) 45, Ohio State (Braendli) 12
Faceoffs: Ohio State 31, Boston College 24
Power Plays: Ohio State 1-3, Boston College 0-3
Top Scorers (G-A-P): Skaggs 0-2-2, Rosenthal 1-0-1, Bizal 0-1-1, Levis 0-1-1, Bink 1-0-1, Buglioni 1-0-1, Maltais 0-1-1, Schepers 0-1-1
PHOTO CREDIT: @JustinBerlPhoto
