Then-sophomore forward Emma Maltais (17) skates up the ice during the game against Bemidji State on Nov. 10. Ohio State lost 4-2. Credit: Cori Wade | Assistant Photo Editor

The No. 9 Ohio State women’s hockey team (4-2-2, 2-2-2 WCHA) hit the road and tied a pair of contests with Minnesota State (2-4-2, 0-4-2) Friday and Saturday, extending its winless streak to four games.

Game 1

The Buckeyes and the Mavericks put up a defensive battle in their first meeting of the year Friday.

The Buckeyes (4-2-1, 2-2-1 WCHA) tied the Mavericks 1-1, before Minnesota State (2-4-1, 0-4-1) scored in the second overtime to pick up an extra conference point.

Per a new overtime rule this season, if teams are tied after regulation play, they get an added five minute period of five-on-five play. If they are still tied, they play a five-minute sudden victory period of three-on-three. Games tied after the first overtime are officially scored as ties, and games won in the second overtime earn an extra league point.

The Buckeyes scored their first and only goal of the game while on the power play early in the first period.

It was sophomore defenseman Madison Bizal, with 28 seconds left in the power play, who found the back of the net for the second time in her career, and put Ohio State in front 1-0. Freshman forward Jennifer Gardiner and freshman defenseman Teghan Inglis assisted on the goal.

Minnesota State struck in the second period to tie the game off a goal by sophomore forward Clair Butorac, her third of the season.

Both teams had two power play opportunities apiece in the second, but neither team was able to convert. The score remained tied going to the third.

In the third period, the Buckeyes managed to put up 12 shots to Minnesota State’s five, but couldn’t get the puck past the Maverick’s freshman goaltender Abigail Levy. 

The game went to overtime, where both teams put up two shots, but were unable to score.

Finally, in the second overtime, it was freshman forward Kelsey King who was able to find a goal the Mavericks and earn her team an extra league point.

Game 2

Saturday’s game looked like a different verse of the same song –– with a little more scoring.

The Buckeyes and the Mavericks tied 3-3 in their second game of the weekend series. When both teams failed to score in two overtimes, the game ended with Minnesota State winning the shootout to earn an extra league point.

The Buckeyes started the game out on top. Halfway through the first period, junior forward Emma Maltais and junior forward Tatum Skaggs got a two-on-one opportunity. Maltais passed across the net and Skaggs sent it home to give Ohio State the 1-0 lead.

Then, with 9:16 left in the first, Minnesota State took advantage of its first power play and evened the score with a goal by senior forward Sofia Poinar.

Five minutes into the second period, Minnesota State scored again. This time it was sophomore forward Brooke Bryant who gave them the go-ahead-goal.

The Mavericks kept bringing the offense, and with 6:21 left in the second, junior defenseman Tristen Truax beat Ohio State sophomore goaltender Andrea Braendli on a breakaway to put Minnesota State up 3-1.

But Ohio State refused to go down without a fight. With just under two minutes left in the period, senior defenseman Jincy Dunne laced a shot from inside the blue line and got her first goal of the season. Skaggs and Maltais assisted on the play.

Dunne wasn’t done. With 9:30 left in the game, assisted by Skaggs and Maltais, Dunne found the back of the net to tie the game at 3-3 and force an overtime.

As in the game Friday night, neither team scored in the five-on-five overtime and the game ended in an official tie. 

Unlike Friday night’s game, neither team scored in the second overtime, so the game went to a shootout, which the Mavericks won to earn the extra league point.