University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, November 5
Mendota Heights, Minn.
6:00 p.m. Central
vs
Ohio State
Women's Hockey has a mighty test hosting reigning national champion Ohio State
11/4/2022 10:55:00 AM | Women's Hockey
St. Paul – Women's hockey is playing at home this weekend for two games against the No. 2 ranked and reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
St. Thomas hosts the Buckeyes on Saturday night at 6 pm and Sunday afternoon at 2 pm at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena. These games are the first half of a four game conference series between the two as the Tommies will take to Columbus for a two-game set in February.
The Tommies are coming off a disappointing weekend against St. Cloud State falling 4-1 and 4-0 in the home-and-home series bringing their WCHA record to 0-6-0.
The Buckeyes are also coming into play looking to bounce back after an 0-1-1 weekend against the Minnesota Gophers. At this time last week Ohio State had been atop the national polls since the offset of the season, but after losing to the No. 2 Gophers 4-2 and winning in a shootout, the two teams swapped places in the polls.
One of the biggest bright spots for the Toms in their series with the Huskies was the relief performance by freshman goaltender Maggie Malecha. Maggie entered game one in the third period and shutout the Huskies while shucking away six shots. The freshman now has a team-leading 1.50 GAA, and .955 SV% in her limited time between the pipes (40 minutes).
Luci Bianchi was the lone goal-scorer of the weekend, her first of the season. She was assisted by Emma McCauley. The freshman's assist was her first collegiate point.
Could not crack the standings
St. Thomas' late goal in the third period of game one with the Huskies was not enough as they fell 4-1.
The opening period between the two ended in a scoreless stalemate. That scoreless tie was broken by St. Cloud State when they scored four goals in a seven-minute span. The Tommies were 0-5 on the power play and their lone goal was scored at even strength by Luci Bianchi.
In game two, St. Cloud State scored two goals in each of the final periods and shutout the Tommies.
St. Thomas' struggles on the power play persisted going 0-3 on the day and 0-8 on the weekend.
Staying Disciplined
The Tommies hold the title as least penalized team in the NCAA this season averaging just 3:50 of penalty minutes per game, 10 seconds fewer than Brown and Harvard, the next closest teams.
Saint Thomas' discipline is by far the best in the WCHA, a full one minute and fifty seconds fewer than the next closest conference foe, Minnesota Duluth.
Special Teams
The Tommies have been penalized at the lowest rate this season and they will need that trend to continue as the Buckeyes are deadly with a one-woman advantage.
This season, the Buckeyes rank second in the country in power-play percentage (38.1%) and have Sophie Jaques on their blue line. The defenseman leads the country with five power play goals and is currently tied for first among all active DI players with 22 career power play goals.
Meanwhile St. Thomas will need to get it going on their power play as it currently ranks fifth lowest in the country (9.1%).
Scouting the Buckeyes
Ohio State (8-1-1 overall, 8-1-1 WCHA) is coming off a competitive weekend with the No.1 ranked Minnesota Gophers. The Gophers took all three WCHA points in game one at Columbus 4-2. However, the Buckeyes answered back in game two at home winning in a shootout of a 4-4 game and bringing home two big WCHA points.
Before the battle of the titans last weekend, the reigning national champions were defending their crown mightily winning each of their first eight games. The Buckeyes won four games on the road (Minnesota State 2-1, 5-4, Bemidji State, 4-0, 5-2) and four games at home (St. Cloud State, 5-2, 6-2, Minnesota Duluth, 3-2 OT, 3-2).
Ohio State is led offensively by Sophie Jaques, Jennifer Gardiner, and Emma Maltais with 15, 14, and 12 points respectively. Jaques currently leads the country with 1.0 goals per game and is the only defenseman in the top-12. Maltais is fourth among active DI skaters with 170 career points and second with 114 assists.
In goal the Buckeyes have split time between senior Raygan Kirk and junior Amanda Thiele with Thiele getting most of the work.
Thiele carries a 6-1 record this season and her career .867 winning percentage seats her third among active DI goaltenders. In her seven starts this season she has tallied an .874 SV% and 2.42 GAA.
Kirk has started in just three games and carries a record of 2-0-1, a .900 SV% and a 1.95 GAA.
Series History
Ohio State has won all four meetings between these two programs by scores of 6-0, 4-1, 8-1, and 6-2.
Abby Promersberger, Luci Bianchi (2 goals), and Lauren Stenslie each scored in the series for the Tommies last season.
In goal the Tommies were led by Alexa Dobchuk who started three of the four games. Dobchuk tallied 151 saves, a .904 SV%, and a 5.33 GAA.
The Buckeyes started Amanda Thiele in two games (1.00 GAA, .917 SV%) and Raygan Kirk in one (2.00 GAA, .714 SV%).
St. Thomas hosts the Buckeyes on Saturday night at 6 pm and Sunday afternoon at 2 pm at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena. These games are the first half of a four game conference series between the two as the Tommies will take to Columbus for a two-game set in February.
The Tommies are coming off a disappointing weekend against St. Cloud State falling 4-1 and 4-0 in the home-and-home series bringing their WCHA record to 0-6-0.
The Buckeyes are also coming into play looking to bounce back after an 0-1-1 weekend against the Minnesota Gophers. At this time last week Ohio State had been atop the national polls since the offset of the season, but after losing to the No. 2 Gophers 4-2 and winning in a shootout, the two teams swapped places in the polls.
One of the biggest bright spots for the Toms in their series with the Huskies was the relief performance by freshman goaltender Maggie Malecha. Maggie entered game one in the third period and shutout the Huskies while shucking away six shots. The freshman now has a team-leading 1.50 GAA, and .955 SV% in her limited time between the pipes (40 minutes).
Luci Bianchi was the lone goal-scorer of the weekend, her first of the season. She was assisted by Emma McCauley. The freshman's assist was her first collegiate point.
Could not crack the standings
St. Thomas' late goal in the third period of game one with the Huskies was not enough as they fell 4-1.
The opening period between the two ended in a scoreless stalemate. That scoreless tie was broken by St. Cloud State when they scored four goals in a seven-minute span. The Tommies were 0-5 on the power play and their lone goal was scored at even strength by Luci Bianchi.
In game two, St. Cloud State scored two goals in each of the final periods and shutout the Tommies.
St. Thomas' struggles on the power play persisted going 0-3 on the day and 0-8 on the weekend.
Staying Disciplined
The Tommies hold the title as least penalized team in the NCAA this season averaging just 3:50 of penalty minutes per game, 10 seconds fewer than Brown and Harvard, the next closest teams.
Saint Thomas' discipline is by far the best in the WCHA, a full one minute and fifty seconds fewer than the next closest conference foe, Minnesota Duluth.
Special Teams
The Tommies have been penalized at the lowest rate this season and they will need that trend to continue as the Buckeyes are deadly with a one-woman advantage.
This season, the Buckeyes rank second in the country in power-play percentage (38.1%) and have Sophie Jaques on their blue line. The defenseman leads the country with five power play goals and is currently tied for first among all active DI players with 22 career power play goals.
Meanwhile St. Thomas will need to get it going on their power play as it currently ranks fifth lowest in the country (9.1%).
Scouting the Buckeyes
Ohio State (8-1-1 overall, 8-1-1 WCHA) is coming off a competitive weekend with the No.1 ranked Minnesota Gophers. The Gophers took all three WCHA points in game one at Columbus 4-2. However, the Buckeyes answered back in game two at home winning in a shootout of a 4-4 game and bringing home two big WCHA points.
Before the battle of the titans last weekend, the reigning national champions were defending their crown mightily winning each of their first eight games. The Buckeyes won four games on the road (Minnesota State 2-1, 5-4, Bemidji State, 4-0, 5-2) and four games at home (St. Cloud State, 5-2, 6-2, Minnesota Duluth, 3-2 OT, 3-2).
Ohio State is led offensively by Sophie Jaques, Jennifer Gardiner, and Emma Maltais with 15, 14, and 12 points respectively. Jaques currently leads the country with 1.0 goals per game and is the only defenseman in the top-12. Maltais is fourth among active DI skaters with 170 career points and second with 114 assists.
In goal the Buckeyes have split time between senior Raygan Kirk and junior Amanda Thiele with Thiele getting most of the work.
Thiele carries a 6-1 record this season and her career .867 winning percentage seats her third among active DI goaltenders. In her seven starts this season she has tallied an .874 SV% and 2.42 GAA.
Kirk has started in just three games and carries a record of 2-0-1, a .900 SV% and a 1.95 GAA.
Series History
Ohio State has won all four meetings between these two programs by scores of 6-0, 4-1, 8-1, and 6-2.
Abby Promersberger, Luci Bianchi (2 goals), and Lauren Stenslie each scored in the series for the Tommies last season.
In goal the Tommies were led by Alexa Dobchuk who started three of the four games. Dobchuk tallied 151 saves, a .904 SV%, and a 5.33 GAA.
The Buckeyes started Amanda Thiele in two games (1.00 GAA, .917 SV%) and Raygan Kirk in one (2.00 GAA, .714 SV%).
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