Ohio State shut out conference rival St. Cloud State for the second consecutive time, 4-0, Sunday morning at the National Hockey Center.
The league win completed the Buckeyes’ series sweep of the Huskies and improved their record to 14-15-3 overall and 11-10-3 in the WCHA. The Huskies are 15-15-2 overall and 10-10-2 in league play.
April Stojak had 16 saves in the game, for a weekend total of 34.
Ohio State’s offense exploded in the second stanza as the Buckeyes scored four unanswered goals. Kelli Halcisak got things rolling at 5:41 with an unassisted
tally. She skated the puck past the blue line and worked her way through the
traffic in front of the Husky net before firing off a decisive shot for her
13th goal of the season.
Eleven minutes in, the Huskies nearly killed off a 4-on-3 Buckeye advantage but Lindsey Ogren gave Ohio State a 2-0 lead at 12:56.
Jeanne Chapple lost her glove but still managed a crossing pass to Erin O’Grady. O’Grady took a shot and Ogren picked up the rebound for a 5-on-4 power-play goal. About a minute later, Carrie Gill made it 3-0 for Ohio State.
Emily Hudak fired off a shot, which Husky goalie Laura Gieselman saved. Gill picked up the rebound and took a shot of her own, which deflected back to her. On Gill’s second shot, the puck found its way behind Gieselman and into the
net.
At 15:52, again on a Buckeye power play, Shana Frost took a rebound shot to the top shelf for her 17th goal of the season. Emma Laaksonen and Hudak were credited with assists.
Stojak shined in the third period, denying six Husky shots. Stojak recorded her second shutout of the weekend and fifth of the season, stopping all 16 St. Cloud shots. Geiselman had 28 saves.
The OSU power-play unit converted on two of three opportunities and held the Huskies scoreless through two power-play chances.
The Buckeyes outshot the host Huskies, 32-16.
