COLUMBUS, Ohio --- Minnesota State (4-8-1, 4-8-1 WCHA) was shutout, 3-0, by third-ranked Ohio State (7-4-0, 7-4-0 WCHA) in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action Friday night.
Despite a career-high 52-save showing from sophomore goaltender Calla Frank (3-6-1), the Mavericks struggled on the other end to sneak one past Buckeyes' netminder Andrea Braendli (6-4-0), who made 25 saves to shutout MSU.
Senior forward Tatum Skaggs put OSU on top 31 seconds into the game when she found a loose puck in the slot and shoveled it past Frank on her backhand. OSU carried the 1-0 lead and a 20-6 shot advantage into the first intermission.
OSU's freshman forward Jenna Buglioni made it 2-0 14:31 into the middle period. Buglioni capitalized on a pass to the slot from her linemate, sophomore Jennifer Gardiner, for a one-time shot that beat Frank to her right. The Buckeyes continued to pepper Frank through the middle period, shots were 37-16 in favor of OSU after two periods.
In the third period, Skaggs scored her second goal of the game when she cleaned up a rebound in the slot at the 2:06 mark. The Buckeyes rode the 3-0 lead until the end for the win.
In the game, the Buckeyes won the shots on net battle, 55-25. Both sides got one power play chance. Neither was able to capitalize with the man advantage.
Tomorrow, the Mavericks and Buckeyes clash again for the weekend series finale at 2:07 p.m. CST.
-30-