Solid forechecking and a stingy defense helped No. 5 seed Ohio State defeat No. 4 seed St. Cloud, 5-0, Thursday night in the quarterfinal round of the WCHA championship at the Rochester Recreation Center.
Corinne Rosen and Emma Laaksonen netted two power-play goals apiece for Ohio State, and goalie April Stojak stopped all 14 Husky shots. The postseason win marks the third time the Buckeyes have shut out St. Cloud State this year and improves their record to 17-15-3 overall. St. Cloud State finished its season at 17-16-2.
Erin O’Grady got things rolling for Ohio State at 10:05 in the first stanza. O’Grady accepted a crossing pass from Lindsey Steblen and nailed a shot to the top shelf, beating Husky goalie Laura Gieselman. Less than four minutes later, at 13:45, Laaksonen scored her first of the game on the power play. O’Grady fed Emily Hudak, who set up Laaksonen.
The Buckeyes, who held the Huskies to three shots on net, skated into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Just 22 seconds into the second period, Ohio State capitalized on another power-play opportunity. Kelli Halcisak set up Hudak, who fired off a shot at the far edge of the faceoff circle. Rosen’s tip found the back of the net and put the Buckeyes up, 3-0. At 12:46, Laaksonen blocked St. Cloud’s attempt to clear the puck out of the zone and skated it in for her second goal of the night and 19th of the season. Laaksonen leads the league and the nation with 17 power-play tallies.
Rosen put the finishing touches on Ohio State’s win with her second of the night, again on the power play, at 18:21. She tipped in Halcisak’s shot from Hudak. The Buckeyes held the Huskies to just three shots in the second stanza.
Neither team was able to convert in the third period as Stojak denied all eight Husky shots en route to her seventh shutout of the season. Geiselman had 24 saves for OSU as the Buckeyes outshot the Huskies, 29-14.
Ohio State went 4-for-6 on the power play and held the Huskies scoreless through four chances.
“I feel we’re playing extremely well as a team right now,” Jackie Barto, OSU head coach, said. “I think that has been the key; everyone is contributing and playing a major role. We feel very confident in our game. Our power play has been on a roll. At this point in the year, if your power play and penalty kill are going for you, that can make the difference.
“I’m extremely pleased with our effort. To come out this evening and play such a solid game in all three zones is a great start to the tournament.”
“I feel really excited and really confident,” Rosen said. “I think everyone on our team is really confident right now that we’re going to take home another one. We’re just going to come out and play hard. Everyone is really positive and is having a good time and enjoying the tournament atmosphere.”
Ohio State will take on top-seeded Minnesota Friday at 8 p.m. (EST) at the Rochester Recreation Center.
