Sophomore Shelby Aldous scored with 5.5 seconds remaining in overtime to give Ohio State a dramatic 2-1 victory over No. 4 Minnesota at Ridder Arena Saturday. It is only the fourth time in program history that the Buckeyes have defeated the Golden Gophers and the first win since March 9, 2001 in the WCHA Semifinal.
The win snaps a five-game winless streak for OSU (5-4-1, 3-5-1 WCHA). Minnesota (7-3, 4-2 WCHA) dropped its second of its last three games and fell to 2-3 in second games of weekends.
The game was knotted at 1-1 after regulation and looked to be ending in a tie until the Buckeyes made a final offensive charge. As the game entered the last 10 seconds of overtime, freshman Hayley Klassen picked up the puck in the right corner of the Minnesota zone and passed it to Aldous waiting at the crease on the left side of the net. Aldous then lifted the puck between Minnesota goaltender Brittony Chartier’s right shoulder and the post for the game-winner. It was her third goal of the year and the first assist for Klassen.
There were numerous scoring opportunities for both teams to break the tie throughout the second and third periods, including a 5-on-3 for Ohio State and a five-minute power play for the Gophers. Junior goaltender Erika Vanderveer played her best game of the season stopping 33 of 34 shots with outstanding saves throughout the contest.
Ohio State and Minnesota skated to a scoreless second period with the Gophers holding a slight edge on shots at 11-9. The period was a test for the Ohio State penalty kill as Minnesota had two power play opportunities including one almost five minutes long. Sophomore Lacey Schultz was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking from behind at 14:05. The Buckeye penalty kill held the Gophers scoreless for the first 4:38 while limiting them to just two shots on goal. Minnesota’s Chelsey Brodt was assessed a hooking penalty at 18:42 for a 22 second 4-on-4 before OSU’s power play started at 19:04.
In the third period, the Buckeyes had a two-minute 5-on-3 chance to try and regain the lead but could not capitalize on the opportunity. Both teams registered eight shots on goal in the period but were unsuccessful in breaking the tie and the game went into overtime.
The Buckeyes opened the scoring with a goal 11:46 into the game. Senior Jana Harrigan picked up the loose puck on the left side of the net and backhanded it on goal. Sophomore Mallory Peckels then tucked it in past Chartier for her second goal of the season. The assist was Harrington’s seventh this year.
Minnesota responded with just over two minutes left in the period to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the first intermission. While on the power play, Erika McKenzie scored five-hole with assists from Melanie Gagnon and Anya Miller at 18:17.
Overall, Ohio State was 0-for-4 on power plays but successfully killed 8-of-9 penalties with Vanderveer stopping 13 of the Gopher’s power play shots. The Buckeyes were penalized 11 times for a total of 33 minutes and OSU notched 26 shots on goal to Minnesota’s 34.
