If Bulldog fans were looking for some senior leadership on Senior Day Sunday afternoon, they didn't have to look far.
The No. 9 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey senior class imposed its will against Ohio State University, mounting a two-goal comeback and scoring four third period goals to take down the Buckeyes 5-2 at AMSOIL Arena. The win locks UMD into a first-round WCHA playoff series next weekend against Bemidji State University that will begin on Friday at 2 p.m. at AMSOIL.
"My seniors have done a really good job this year leading, a really good job at saying hey, we've got what we need after three really bumpy years," said head coach Shannon Miller, now 61- 12-3 all-time against OSU. "Yes, it's my last season, my last senior day but I am not emotional, it's not about me, it's about them. It's about us getting to finish line. We set a goal and our goal was to get to the Frozen Four and we have a lot of work left to do."
OSU's first goal came with just 2:15 remaining in the first period, a puck off the back boards behind the net that ended up behind Bulldog goaltender Kayla Black and trickling across the line for the 1-0 lead. The Buckeyes doubled that advantage 13:04 into the second period after Claudia Kepler connected past Black in a scrum in front of the UMD net.
The Bulldogs sliced their deficit in half with 17 seconds remaining in the second period when senior winger Zoe Hickel threw the puck on net from the far right side. The puck slipped through OSU netminder Stacy Danczak's legs to a diving Katerina Mrázová, who smacked the puck in for her seventh goal of the year.
UMD entered the third stanza trailing the Buckeyes 2-1, but at the 8:59 mark, rookie blueliner Jessica Healey — who had already scored her first career tally Friday night — ripped a wrist shot from the top of the left circle, cleanly beating Danczak to knot the contest at 2-2. Healey's goal with assists to sophomore winger Lara Stalder and senior center Brienna Gillanders, poured gasoline on a Bulldog squad that had already been smoldering from the initial third period puck drop.
Less than three minutes later, Gillanders tipped in the go ahead — and eventual game-winning goal — redirecting a blast from the right point by senior defenseman Brigette Lacquette, who already had an assist on UMD's first goal.
OSU pulled Danczak for an extra skater with 2:05 remaining in the game, down 3-2, but Hickel made the Buckeyes pay seven seconds later, scoring from the just inside the blueline, wide right of the cage for her 18th goal of the season. Hickel was assisted by seniors Jenna McParland and Lacquette, who had a total of three helpers on the day. Stalder agaist cashed in on an empty OSU net with 20 seconds left in the game, and with the Bulldogs up 5-2, the senior celebration was on.
The seven UMD seniors combined for two goals and six assists on the five total UMD goals, with Lacquette owning three assists and Gillanders and Hickel a goal and an assist. Mrázovå and Stalder also each had a goal and a helper in the contest.
The Bulldogs outshot the Buckeys 26-20, including 10-6 in the final 20 minutes. Black made 18 saves for UMD, while Danczak had 21 for OSU, which falls to 17-14-3 overall and sixth in the WCHA with a record of 12-13-3.
UMD will continue its 16 year first round home WCHA playoff streak next weekend when it hosts the Beavers at AMSOIL Friday, Saturday and if needed, Sunday. The Bulldogs went 2-2 against BSU during the regular season. Friday's tilt is set for 2 p.m., while Saturday's game is slated for 1 p.m. The Sunday game would be played at 2 p.m.
BULLDOG NOTES: Sunday was the Bulldogs seventh series sweep of the season, the most UMD has posted since the 2010-11 season ... UMD is now 61-12-3 all-time against Ohio State, and is unbeaten in its last five skates against the Buckeyes … Seven total players posted two or more points in a game against OSU over the weekend, including five that did so Sunday (Brigette Lacquette, Zoe Hickel, Lara Stalder, Brienna Gillanders, and Katerina Mrázovå) … With three assists, Lacquette has now climbed to the seventh all-time scoring defenseman with 67 points and is tied with Jessica Wong for the seventh most assists by a blueliner … Lacquette ranks 8th in the nation among all scoring defenseman with 23 points on six goals and 17 helpers … Hickel has 92 career points after a one goal, two assist weekend (45g, 47a) and leads UMD in both scoring with 31 points and goals with 18 in just 33 games … Sophomore goaltender Kayla Black surpassed Jennifer Harss for third on the career saves list, with a total of 2,437 after the weekend sweep … Black has played 99 career games, (10 more played than Harss) and is now tied with Kim Martin with the second most games played by a UMD netminder in a career … Riitta Schaublin has the record with 104.
