Minnesota played come-from-behind, a position they are not used to, and beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, 5-3 on Saturday. The Gophers trailed after the first period and looked sluggish, but picked it up and showed some resolve in doing so. Amanda Kessel had another nice game with four points (2g,2a) and Maryanne Menefee had three points (1g,2a) with the second line to help keep the Gophers undefeated. Minnesota is now 30-0 with just four games left in the regular season.
The first period was not a good one for the top-ranked Gophers. OSU would start the scoring in the first when Noora Raty allowed an uncharacteristic goal that went off her glove and in off the stick of Kari Schmitt. Minnesota would tie it up just over three minutes later when Megan Bozek made a wrap around and slid it past Chelsea Knapp. OSU would untie it when Tina Hollowell would score on a Buckeye power play. The Buckeyes would hold a slight 10-9 advantage in shots after one period.
The second period was a polar opposite for the Gophers, who looked slow and lethargic in the first. Minnesota stayed out of the penalty box and scored a couple of goals to take the lead. Maryanne Menefee cash in on a rebound and Meghan Lorence put a wrister past Knapp to give the Gophers a 3-2 heading into the third. Minnesota dominated shots on goal, 16-6, in the second period.
Amanda Kessel looked to put things out of reach when she netted her first goal of the game just 3:03 into the third. OSU had no intentions of laying down and got a goal back when Kara Gust registered her first goal as a Buckeye. Less than a minute later, at 9;06, Kessel got her second goal of the game to seal the game. The Buckeyes would pull Knapp with 1:35 left, but they could not find the back of the net with the extra attacker. Gophers keep it rolling and move to 30-0 on the season. The Buckeyes stayed out of the box and gave Minnesota just one power play the whole game, which wasn't converted. The Buckeyes may have given the rest of the teams a blue print for how to stay with the Gophers. Now for the numbers.
Megan Bozek's goal was her 42nd career goal, which is now a new team record for goals by a defenseman. The old record was held by Winny Brodt. Noora Raty won again and got her 104th career win and 28th of the season. Amanda Kessel got her 40th goal of the season and is just three goals behind the school record held by Krissy Wendell. Kessel's 89 points are currently the sixth best total for a season, just ahead of Jenny Potter.
To check out the boxscore, go here.
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