No player has haunted Minnesota State coach Jeff Vizenor more over the years than Ohio State’s Jana Harrigan. She did it again on Saturday with a pair of goals that powered the Buckeyes to a 4-2 win over the No. 8 Mavericks.
In 18 career games versus MSU, Harrigan has tallied 27 points, including 13 goals.
“Every time we have had a big game against those guys, she has stepped up and played well,” Vizenor said. “She’s a great player. She has been someone that has hurt us.”
After not scoring a goal in Friday’s series opener, it was the Mavericks (9-9-2, 6-8-2 WCHA) who got on the board first. At 10:40 of the second period, sophomore Andrianne Thibault scored her second goal of the season giving MSU a 1-0 edge.
The Maverick lead was short lived however as the Buckeyes’ Hayley Klassen tied the score just 39 seconds later. Harrigan added an assist on the play, and the score would remain knotted at one until the end of the second frame.
But it wasn’t long into the third when OSU (10-8-2, 7-7-2) broke through again. Harrigan’s goal capped a 2-on-1 rush for the Buckeyes and gave them the spark needed to finish the sweep.
“We really wanted to come into the third period, set the tempo early on and see if we could get a quick goal,” Harrigan said.
The goal allowed the Buckeyes to take control of a game which had been back and forth all afternoon.
Ohio State put home the game winner with just over seven minutes to play when Lisa Chesson buried a wrister high over MSU netminder Laura Brennan’s outstretched glove. The goal followed an important penalty kill for the Buckeyes, and once again gave them some breathing room.
Harrigan lit the lamp once again with just under three minutes to play. Her shot from the left circle fluttered over the top of a screened Brennan to give OSU a 4-1 edge. Amanda Stohr ended the scoring at 19:00 with a goal assisted by Maggie Fisher to pull MSU within two.
“We came into the weekend and just wanted to play 120 minutes of solid hockey,” said OSU coach Jackie Barto. “I thought we showed a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and the difference for us was that third period.”
With their sweep, Ohio State takes the season series, as well as a two-point edge over Minnesota State for fourth place in the WCHA standings. The top-four teams at the end of the regular season will earn home-ice advantage in the conference playoffs, something that Barto and Harrigan are well aware of.
“That has been a goal of ours,” Barto said. “Whenever you can get four points on the road against a quality opponent like Mankato, you’re excited.”
“We definitely want someone to come to us,” added Harrigan. “It’s a lot better in your own barn.”
Both teams are will take on non-conference foes next weekend as the Buckeyes welcome Niagara to OSU Ice Arena. Minnesota State meanwhile will hit the road and head to Rhode Island for a series with Providence.
