With 1:24 remaining in overtime, Wisconsin’s Meghan Hunter turned a scoreless game into a Badger victory over Ohio State (15-12-4 overall, 9-11-3 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association), 1-0 Friday in the series opener at the Capitol Ice Arena. The Badgers improved to 18-10-2 and 14-5-1 in the WCHA.
The contest marked Ohio State’s 10th trip to overtime this season and its fourth overtime loss (2-4-4).
Shots were 10-6 in favor of the Badgers following a scoreless first stanza. Most of Wisconsin’s scoring chances came on the power play, however, as the Buckeyes were forced to kill off three penalties in the period.
The hard-fought second period was marked by three coincidental penalties, including two for roughing at 11:37 and 16:57. Ohio State goaltender Melissa Glaser stopped eight Badger shots, including Kerry Weiland’s high shot at 17:24 that deflected off her left shoulder and into her glove.
No penalties were called in the scoreless third stanza, which saw both teams concentrating more on the defensive side of the puck. The Buckeyes’ best scoring chance of the period came around the 11:30 mark when Jeni Creary picked up the puck off a faceoff in the Buckeyes’ zone and went on a breakaway. With a little over two minutes remaining in the third, Glaser nabbed an impressive skate save on Hunter’s shot.
Both teams skated into a five-minute overtime period. The Buckeyes managed one shot on net but were able to keep the Badgers at bay until Hunter converted at 3:36 from Kendra Antony.
Wisconsin outshot Ohio State, 27-17. Glaser finished with 26 saves and is 12-7-3 overall. Wisconsin netminder Jackie MacMillan stopped all 17 Buckeye shots to preserve the shutout and is 18-8-1 on the season.
Both teams were scoreless on the power play, the Buckeyes with two chances and the Badgers with four.
Ohio State and Wisconsin meet again in the series finale at 8:05 p.m. (EST) Saturday at the Capitol Ice Arena.
