Graduate student defenseman Stephanie Murkowski, 4, tries to block a shot from Minnesota Duluth's Nina Jobst-Smith during a game against Ohio State on Jan. 19. The Buckeyes and Bulldogs are scheduled to meet again in the WCHA semifinals Friday at 2 p.m.Credit: Sandra Fu | Lantern Photographer
It's win or go home for Ohio State.
The WCHA No. 1 Buckeyes (31-3-0, 26-2-0) will face No. 8 Minnesota Duluth (20-12-4, 15-11) in a one-shot Western University Hockey matchup. After dominating Bemidji State in a three-game quarterfinal series on Friday and Saturday, they will face the WCHA (two losses) in the association tournament semifinals on Friday.
Senior goaltender Raegan Kirk said the upcoming finals at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis will bring a new level of intensity.
“We couldn't have asked for a better series. It's like a one-and-done series,” Kirk said. “On Friday, even if we win, we don't know who we're going to play on Saturday. We just have to focus on one game at a time. We're really excited about the strong competition and we're looking forward to our game. I’m focused on that and trying to build on what I learned this season.”
Graduate forward Hannah Birka said the Buckeyes, who have only lost once since the start of the year, are ready to take on the big gamble.
“Confidence is built by past performance,” Birka said. “So I think we can go into the weekend with confidence saying, 'We played the best team and we beat them, so we can do it again.'
Ohio State remains undefeated in four games against Minnesota Duluth this season, with three of the four wins coming by shutout. Kirk, who contributed to two of the shutouts, said the Bulldogs are a difficult opponent because they are similar to the Buckeyes.
“They have depth on their team, just like we do,” Kirk said. “They're just going to play as a unit and play really smart. It's going to be a really good, gritty hockey game, so we're going to play smart and take advantage of every opportunity we get against them.” I think it has to be.”
Birka said Minnesota-Duluth is especially strong defensively. The Bulldogs rank sixth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 1.44 points per game.
“They are always in very good position in the defensive zone,” Birka said. “We have all this offensive zone time and opportunities, but they get into position really quickly, so sometimes we're not as open as we are against other teams.”
Ohio State is the only team in the WCHA with a lower scoring average than Minnesota-Duluth, ranking fourth nationally in points per game at 1.29.
Kirk said the Buckeyes need to focus on graduate forward Manon McMahon, the Bulldogs' captain and second on the team with 30 points and 13 goals. McMahon is the only player behind fellow graduate forward Reece Hunt, who leads the team in points with 34 and 18 goals.
Throughout the season, Kirk found the back of the net for Ohio State with fellow senior goaltender Amanda Thiele. In the quarterfinal series against Bemidji State, Kirk started both games and made 21 saves and allowed one goal in 120 minutes of play.
“I'm very honored to receive that nod,” Kirk said. “There are only a few games left, but they are very important games and I have been trying to be consistent all year. I know the girls in front of me have confidence. I have confidence in them, too.”
The Minnesota Duluth goaltender shared the net and earned a shutout victory over then-No. 1 Duluth in the quarterfinals. 10 St. Cloud State. WCHA Goaltender of the Year finalist, sophomore Haley MacLeod, made 20 saves in a 5-0 win, while freshman Yves Gascon, a WCHA Rookie of the Year finalist, made 20 saves in a 5-0 win. He stopped 27 shots in the 2-0 win in the second game.
Ohio State's semifinal game will take place at 2 p.m. and will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
If the Buckeyes win, they will play the winner of the matchup between No. 2 Wisconsin and No. 5 Minnesota at 3 p.m. at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, also streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
