Friday afternoon was the offensive breakout game the Bulldogs had been waiting for.

The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team handed No. 5 Ohio State University a 4-1 upset Friday afternoon at AMSOIL Arena behind an offensive surge in the second period that buried the Buckeyes under three unanswered goals.  Four different players carried the scoring for UMD, including Katerina Mrázová, Jalyn Elmes, Sydney Brodt and Naomi Rogge.  The upset is the first by the Bulldogs since they knocked off then No. 2 Colgate 4-1 on Nov. 24.

"That's exactly what we needed, that's exactly what we are capable of," said head coach Maura Crowell.  "We were very hungry tonight and I was impressed with the way that we didn't let down at all, didn't step off the gas. Jessica Convery gave us great goaltending to keep us in the game, and we got great offense and our game was solid."

Mrázová opened the scoring with an unassisted goal 4:06 into the game, but OSU equalized immediately, courtesy of Tatum Skaggs 1:54 later.  

After holding on to a 1-1 tie despite having been outshot 16-9 by the Buckeyes in the first period, the Bulldogs went on their second-ranked WCHA power play seven minutes into the second stanza.  The result was the eventual game-winning goal at 8:55, with five second left in the power play. Sydney Brodt drove from the right side and across the circle to find a streaking Elmes, who shoveled the puck into the net from the slot for the go ahead goal and 2-1 UMD lead,  

Brodt found the net on her own at 13:56 after driving again to the net, but instead of dishing to Elmes, toe-dragged past a Buckeye defenseman and slipped the puck under OSU netminder Kassidy Sauve for the 3-1 Bulldog advantage.  Only 1:14 later, Rogge iced the offensive onslaught — and the upset — with her own wrist shot to stretch UMD's favor to 4-1.

Rogge's goal extended her current scoring streak to four games — the rookie forward has compiled three goals and an assist over that span.  

OSU outshot UMD 39-28 in the game (although the Bulldogs outshot the Buckeyes 13-9 over their three-goal second period.).  Senior goaltender Jessica Convery had 38 often dazzling saves for the Bulldogs, including 16 in the opening period that glued UMD together long enough to awaken its potent offense.  Sauve had 24 saves for the Buckeyes, who fall to 17-6-4 overall and 10-3-4 in the WCHA.

The all important three league points draws UMD (11-13-2, 7-10-1) within a single point of Bemidji State University, who currently sit in fourth place with 24 points to the Bulldogs 23.  The Bulldogs and Buckeyes will close out the series tomorrow at 3:07 p.m. at AMSOIL.