ERIE, Pa. – Ohio State advanced to their second-ever Frozen Four with a 3-1 victory over Boston college on Tuesday evening.
The Buckeyes came from behind to score three unanswered goals in a dominant second and third period where they out-shot Boston College 43-8. It will be their second trip to the Frozen Four in the past four years.
“We were a little bit back on our heels but regrouped and dominated in the second and third and were rewarded for our success. It wasn’t just that we won and are going to the Frozen Four, it was how we won and came back and fought,” said OSU coach Nadine Muzzerall.
The game started evenly as both teams had five shots on goal and spent much of the period shaking off nerves. Boston College came out with their characteristic speed and Ohio State played a little tentatively as they tried to feel their opponent out. It was a physical game with eight total penalties, five of which came in the first.
Savannah Norcross opened the scoring midway through the opening frame when she buried a rebound off OSU goalie Andrea Braendli’s pads to give Boston College a 1-0 lead.
It looked like the Eagles were going to double that a few times in the first, but as the period wore on, the Buckeyes started to play their game.
From there, Ohio State took control, allowing just four shots on goal in each of the remaining periods and absolutely peppering Boston College goalie Abigail Levy. The Buckeyes were patient and opportunistic in front of the net while protecting the puck, especially at the blue line while hemming the Eagles into the zone.
It took more than 20 shots in the second before Jenna Buglioni was able to even the score on the power play, putting home a rebound that was loose in front of the net. Brooke Bink scored the game-winner just three minutes later and with seconds left in the middle frame by cleaning up a rebound and waiting for the right spot to tip it past Levy.
The game was sealed with a goal off a puck that was dumped in the zone and somehow banked off the back boards and into the net. Credit was given to Gabby Rosenthal to make it a 3-1 game.
“We’re excited because we deserved to go to the national tournament last year and it just didn’t happen. But our time is finally now,” said Buckeye senior Tatum Skaggs.
Ohio State advances to play Wisconsin in the semifinals on Thursday evening. The two teams have met five times already this year and the Badgers have a slight edge, having defeated OSU in overtime to win the WCHA tournament championship a week ago.
But Muzzerall wasn’t focusing on that game just yet.
“I’m really not thinking about Wisconsin right now. I’m going to enjoy this moment with my team and we’ll worry about them tomorrow.”
