University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey goaltender Eve Gascon made a career-best 58 saves Saturday night against the No. 2 Ohio State University inside AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., but the Buckeyes scored just enough to get by the Bulldogs 3-1. 

The win by OSU was its first of the season over UMD, and for the night, gives the Buckeyes second place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the first time this year.

"Everything offensive starts with good defense, and I thought we got away from playing some good defense," said UMD head coach Laura Schuler. "We've got to tighten it up and then I think our breakouts have to be better. We have to be more committed to getting pucks in behind their defense. They're a really good team, andI think if we can tighten up those three areas, we'll be able to get more pucks in the offensive zone and get more opportunities from that. So we'll take a look at some video,and make adjustments for tomorrow."

The Buckeyes flexed their special teams success just twice in the game, and the first goal came 2:41 into the first period before striking again on 4-on-4 hockey at 9:31.

But the Bulldogs used their own first power play of the game to pull within a single goal just 1:21 later when Olivia Wallin threw a blind pass behind her across the slot to Caitlin Kraemer. The rookie center backhanded the puck past Amadan Thiele with ease, and after 20 minutes of play, the Buckeyes lead had been cut to 2-1.

The penalty box joined OSU in the second period as UMD opponents, and the Bulldogs spent eight minutes shorthanded in the frame after they were called for four infractions. UMD surrendered 34 shots on goal in the second – a program-high and single-period save record – and 18 of the 34 shots Gascon faced – and saved, came off Buckeye power plays. 

The third period was the most even for the sides, but the Bulldogs, already down Ida Karlsson due to illness, just couldn't find the game tying-goal on two power play attempts in the third. OSU scored an empty-netter with 1:09 left in regulation – the first time they had found the back of the net after 52-straight saves by Gascon.

Gascon's 58-save effort was the first 50-plus save game by a UMD goaltender since Maddie Rooney logged 59 on Feb. 29, 2020 – a four overtime effort by Rooney. The Bulldogs were 1-of-3 on the power play while holding OSU to just 1-of-5 – 21 of the Buckeyes shots in the game came with an extra skater. OSU, who improved to 16-5-3 overall and 11-5-3 in the WCHA, outshot UMD 61-20.

THe Bulldogs (15-6-2, 10-5-2) will try to get their full line up back Saturday afternoon to take another run at the Buckeyes. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES: Eve Gascon's 34 save effort in the second period is a program-record … the previous single period shots on goal record was 33 against the University of Minnesota back on Feb. 12, 2016 … with a new career-best save effort of 58, Gascon surpassed her previous best of 48 saves, accomplished twice, most recently against Minnesota on Nov. 15, 2024.