Ohio State junior forward Emma Maltais (17) zones in on the movement of the puck during the Ohio State-Bemidji State game Jan.31. Ohio State won 7-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern reporter
Just when the Buckeyes thought they put the game away, Bemidji State had more.
With 17.2 seconds remaining, senior forward Kiki Radke scored the tying goal to lead both teams into overtime at a score of 2-2.
The resulting extra period ended in stalemate, setting the final score between No. 5 Ohio State (17-6-5, 10-4-4 WCHA) and Bemidji State (14-13-3, 8-10-2) at a 2-2 tie, despite a 43-25 Buckeye shooting advantage. Ohio State captured an extra league point by winning the shootout.
Bemidji State redshirt junior goaltender Lauren Bench stopped 41 shots, keeping the Beavers around in the contest to finish the draw.
With less than six minutes on the clock in a tie game, Bemidji State senior forward Haley Mack picked up a cross-checking penalty. On the Buckeye power play, junior forward Emma Maltais put Ohio State up 2-1, recording her fourth point of the series.
“Honestly that [power play] was a weight off of our shoulders. It was awesome to see and we really practice that a lot,” sophomore forward Gabby Rosenthal said.
Radke’s game-tying strike came minutes later.
Twelve shots and no goals followed in the two overtime periods, leaving a shootout to determine which side would receive an extra league point. Maltais was the only player to convert, granting the point to Ohio State.
Down 1-0 10 minutes into the second period, Bemidji State found an equalizer from junior forward Clair DeGeorge, setting an even 1-1 tally that held through the frame.
The Buckeyes outshot the Beavers 26-9 in the opening periods, but after 25 saves in 40 minutes from Bench, the game remained deadlocked.
Similar to the first meeting in the series between the two squads, Ohio State started off slowly against Bemidji State.
It took 18 minutes for either side to find the back of the net, with Ohio State redshirt senior defenseman Jincy Dunne dusting off a pass from sophomore defenseman Sophie Jaques.
“They’ve been really instrumental to our success these past few weekends,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “Not only on the defensive side and being the backbone there, but they’ve really been producing.”
Next week, the Buckeyes will return to Minnesota for a second series against No. 9 Minnesota Duluth.
“If we continue to implement the plan and trust by it we’ll be rewarded,” Muzerall said.
