Ohio State (8-6-3, 4-5-3 WCHA) cruised to a 3-0 win over visiting Princeton (7-4-2, 3-2-0 ECAC Northern) Friday at the OSU Ice Rink. Jeni Creary scored the game winner on Ohio State’s first shot of the game and assisted in Lindsey Steblen’s first goal of the season at the 15:41 mark of the third period. Jennifer Desson recorded two assists in the shutout.
Ohio State is now 6-1-1 in its last eight outings.
Just 2:07 into the game, Creary scored her 15th goal of the season on the Buckeyes’ first shot of the night. Desson skated in front of the Tiger net but couldn’t get a good shot off, so she dinked a pass to Creary, who ripped a shot to the top shelf, beating Princeton goalie Megan Van Beusekom.
The Buckeyes did not take another shot on net until over six minutes later but would hold on to a 1-0 lead through two periods.
Princeton outshot Ohio State, 13-3, in the second stanza by virtue of three power-play opportunities in which the Tigers took nine shots. Buckeye netminder Melissa Glaser had an outstanding game between the pipes, tallying 13 saves in the second including a skate stop of Gretchen Anderson’s shot at 16:24.
Emily Hudak put Ohio State up 2-0 at 12:41 in the third period. Desson got control of the puck behind the left post of the Tiger net and passed it to Jeanne Chapple, who picked up her own rebound and took another shot which was blocked by a defenseman. Hudak grabbed Chapple’s rebound and converted off the crossbar.
Exactly three minutes later, Steblen made it 3-0 Buckeyes. Creary picked up the puck along the boards off a faceoff in the right circle and passed it to Katie Frohreich. Frohreich’s shot missed wide but the puck found its way to Steblen, who was just in front of the blue line ready to put it away.
Princeton outshot Ohio State, 29-18. The Buckeyes were unable to convert on one power-play chance and held the Tigers scoreless through three chances.
Glaser finished with 29 saves and improved to 6-3-2 on the season, while Van Beusekom recorded 15 in the loss.
The Buckeyes and Tigers meet again in the series finale Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
