The only thing more difficult for the Minnesota Golden Gophers to read than Ohio State’s numbers was Buckeyes freshman goaltender Andrea Braendli.
Despite starting Saturday’s game with an instant power play, No. 3 Minnesota could not take advantage, ending with its first loss of the season. Braendli stopped 40 of 42 shots and got the help of four Minnesota posts. Emma Maltais scored a goal and an assist as No. 4 Ohio State (6-2-0, 3-1-0-0 WCHA) defeated the Gophers 3-2 at Ridder Arena to split a two-game series.
“I’m proud of our team and the fight that they had. I thought we played a real good hockey game and unfortunately came out on the wrong end of it,” said Minnesota head coach Brad Frost. “Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be tonight, but I’m proud of our team and proud of our effort.”
Wearing black jerseys with black numbers and a tiny red outline nearly impossible to read while skating, OSU was penalized for illegal jerseys. The decision to penalize at the start of Saturday’s came from the WCHA conference office, which was notified too late to enforce for Friday’s game where the team wore the same uniforms.
The Buckeyes killed the initial penalty and held Minnesota (6-1-1, 4-1-1-0 WCHA) without a goal in four power-play chances.
“It’s hard to say,” Gophers senior Nicole Schammel said about her team’s special teams performance. “We have to keep doing what we’re doing and eventually we’re going to score. We have to stick with it.”
Sophie Jacques put Ohio State on the board 5:15 into the game with her first collegiate goal before Schammel tied it on a highlight-reel play. The Red Wing, Minn. native deked around a couple defenders before beating Braendli to extend her point streak to eight games.
Sydney Scobee, starting her fourth straight Saturday game for Minnesota, made 24 saves. Maltais, who led the Buckeyes in scoring a season ago, was able to get around Scobee on one of those saves, getting just enough room on a rebound to go around Scobee’s skate for a power-play goal.
Maddy Field made it 3-1 OSU 4:44 in the third period seconds after Gophers freshman Amy Potomak hit the post in a tying effort.
“Tough to say (whether it was interference). It was a big scramble in front of the net, the puck was in the air so it’s hard to say whether (Field) should have been allowed in the crease or not,” Scobee said. “At the end of the day that shouldn’t have been the deciding factor.”
Taylor Williamson got Minnesota within one with 2:32 remaining on her third goal of the weekend, but it was the only time the Gophers could solve Braendli in the third period. As she did in Friday’s 3-0 win for Minnesota, Braendli stopped multiple breakaways and odd-woman rushes. Her defenders blocked 23 attempts, including two when Scobee was pulled and Maltais was without a stick.
Taking a timeout with 1:26 remaining, Minnesota tried to keep the puck in the zone and get something off a rebound or screen. The team did keep the puck in the zone, however, could get the tying goal.
“Their goalie did a good job controlling rebounds,” said Schammel. “A few times we needed to find a higher battle level getting to the net, but you have to tip your cap to Ohio (State) for doing a really good job shutting us down good and tight.”
Minnesota will look to bounce back on the road in a Border Battle series against Wisconsin. The Gophers and Badgers play Saturday and Sunday in Madison. Both games begin at 2:00 p.m.
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