Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State women's hockey will play the first round of the WCHA Tournament on the road against #10 Ohio State. Games will be played on Friday and Saturday with the puck being dropped at 6:07 p.m. (EST) and 3:07 p.m. (EST), respectively, at the OSU Ice Rink. There is a game three scheduled for Sunday at 3:07 p.m. (EST) if necessary.
 
Minnesota State All-Time: The MSU women's hockey program, which started in 1998-99, is currently in its 21st season of competition and has compiled a 185-481-64 (.297) record in 730 total games played. The Mavericks are in their 20th year as members in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and hold a 114-383-51 (.255) in 548 games played.

Last Time on the Ice: Minnesota State (9-17-7, 3-16-5-2 WCHA) and Minnesota Duluth tied in overtime both games, 5-5 and 3-3, last Friday and Saturday.

The Bulldogs were the first to score on Friday at the 11:30 mark in the first period when freshman Maggie Flaherty scored on the power play. Nearly five minutes later, the Mavericks responded with a power play goal of their own with sophomore Brittyn Fleming going to the low right corner for her ninth goal of the season. Flaherty scored on another power play a little over halfway into the second period to take a 2-1 lead. A minute late, UMD extended its lead to 3-1 after freshman Gabby Hughes lit the lamp. MSU battled back and tied the game up before the period ended with the first goal coming from junior Sofia Poinar for her second goal in as many games. The second goal came within a minute as senior Rebekah Kolstad also scored for the second straight game and her team leading 10th of the season. The score was tied 3-3 until two minutes into the third period when sophomore Anna Klein gave Minnesota Duluth a 4-3 edge. Junior Emily Antony responded for Minnesota State less than a minute later with her second goal of the season. The Bulldogs took another lead at the 3:55 mark when junior Jalyn Elmes scored. The final goal was scored at the 7:14 mark when freshman Anna Wilgren scored her fourth of the season on the power play and eventually forced overtime. UMD ended up winning the shootout 2-1 after nine rounds with senior Corbin Boyd scoring the lone shootout goal.

Minnesota Duluth jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on senior day against Minnesota State with freshman Anneke Linser and Flaherty scoring goals in the first period. The Mavericks cut into the deficit with the lone goal in the second period coming from freshman Madison Oelkers for her second of the season. The Bulldogs once again extended the lead to 3-1 after junior Sydney Brodt scored a minute into the third period. The MSU comeback started once again with Oelkers scoring her second goal of the day and third on the season at the 11:12 mark. The Mavericks tied the game up on their first short-handed goal of the season. Freshman Claire Butorac scored with two minutes remaining in the period for her second goal of the season and her first career short-handed goal. The 3-3 tie held throughout overtime and UMD won the shootout again, 1-0 in three rounds.

In net, freshman Abigail Levy (9-16-7) made both starts on the weekend. Levy collected 53 saves, had a 3.69 goals against average and a .869 save percentage. She made 22 saves in the first game and 31 saves in the second game.
 
Scouting Ohio State: The Buckeyes (18-12-2, 12-10-2-2 WCHA) tied both games with #1 Wisconsin this past weekend 1-1 and 2-2, and also won both shootouts. This prevented the Badgers from winning the WCHA regular season title and OSU enters the WCHA tournament as the third seed.

The OSU offense features freshman Emma Maltais who finished second in the WCHA points race in the regular season (14-26--40). Senior Charly Dahlquist finished second in points for the Buckeyes (12-13--25).

In net, Ohio State features freshman Andrea Braendli (14-9-2). Braendli holds a 1.90 goals-against average, a .938 save percentage and has 697 saves at the end of the regular season with five shutouts.

Facing Ohio State: All-time, the Mavericks are 14-64-8 against the Buckeyes, dating back to 1999. The last time the two teams met was Dec. 1-2 earlier this season where the Mavericks split a home series against then #6 Ohio State, winning the first game 3-0 and dropping the second 2-0.
 
Looking Ahead: Minnesota State will advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff March 9-10 with two wins against #10 Ohio State.