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Ohio State Women's Hockey 2025-26

ARM said:
PGB only does his articles for home games, and so the UM series is the next one he'll cover.
Click to expand...
For Windchill22 & TJ77: ARM has it exactly right.

I've literally forgotten how long I've been doing the 3 Stars. But in the earliest days we didn't have Big Ten Plus. Beat reporters were rare to non-existent. "Covering" home games gave me the opportunity to send out information the other fanbases didn't have much access to. Conversely, I didn't have much access to info from the road games. Thus I had no basis for making Star Selections for road tilts. For better or worse, I haven't strayed far from my original format.

Regarding "Next Stargazing": I could call it "Next Article." But stylistically Next Stargazing is a much better fit, IMHO. Hope you wind up chilling & agreeing.

For many years I closed the 3 Stars Posts with "Up Next." But osualum86 already faithfully provides that information. And if you go to the Official OSU site, their articles do as well -- literally using the phrase Up Next. Double Redundancy just isn't my thing. So a while back I switched the focus to "here's when you'll hear from me next."
Hockeybuckeye said:
It looks obvious to me he evaluates the games he's able to attend.
Click to expand...
This too.

I prefer to base my evaluations on what I see with my own eyes, rather than the packaged viewing we see on a stream or a broadcast.

In the usual case, I have my 3 Stars Selections in mind when I leave the Ice Rink. It's obvious I consult the Official Box Score to bolster my case. Sometimes reviewing the Box Score does motivate me to make adjustments. Other times a stat gives me a tiebreaker. And yes, in recent years I've taken to consulting the B1G+ streams to confirm something or obtain some additional detail.

But what I see Live is at the Heart Of It All. You see I'm delusional enough to believe I have a feel for the game.
 
Shout out to our Friend, Eeyore ... hope you get well this weekend! Eeyore normally makes the trek to Columbus to see his Gophers take on our Buckeyes, but was not well enough to make the trip this time. Hope you are better real soon!

Ohio State scored the first four goals in tonight's game and held on for a 4-2 win. Maxine Cimoroni opened the scoring for the Buckeyes in the first period and the Buckeyes took that 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Ohio State added three more goals in the middle frame from Kaia Malachino, Jocelyn Amos, and Emma Peschel to take a 4-0 lead into the final intermission. Minnesota pushed back and got things going in the third period with goals from Anabella Fanale and Ava Lindsay to pull to within two at 4-2, but that was as close as the Gophers would get. Ohio State outshot Minnesota in this one 39-28. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod stopped 26 of the 28 shots she faced. Minnesota's Hannah Clark stopped 35 of the 39 shots she faced. The two teams are back at it tomorrow with game time at 3:00 pm EST. For those attending, tomorrow is Senior Day, so plan on getting to the game early as the Seniors will be honored at 2:00 pm EST. Some teams are postponing their Senior Days until after the Olympics, and rightly so. Fortunately for us OSU fans, none of our Olympians are seniors.
 
Final Score From Friday, February 13th
Ohio State 4
Minnesota 2


Special Performance By The Special Teams​

The Buckeye Power Play? Irresistible, converting 3 of 4 opportunities. The Buckeye Penalty Kill? Immovable, snuffing out all 4 of the Gopher PP attempts. Good play at even strength? Oh yeah. But special teams were the story this time.

Stating the obvious, this series is being played in the shadow of the Olympic tournament. Buckeye alum Hannah Bilka scored a particularly nice goal the other day. Assists? Abby Murphy & Caroline Harvey. As such, the scoring line went Buckeyes from Gophers & Badgers. A nice moment of WCHA Unity.

But hey. Some pretty good hockey is being played stateside as well.


Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

Minnesota Honorable Mention: Ava Lindsay
The Gophers entered the 3rd Period trailing 4-0. The Buckeyes would have preferred to lock things down right there. But Minnesota had other ideas. The crafty Lindsay earned scoring points on both Gopher goals.

Ohio State Honorable Mention: Sara Swiderski
OMG it was great to have Sara back in the line-up! Offensively she contributed an assist plus a couple of shots. Defensively Swiderski played a crucial role in holding the fort. Her presence also gave the coaches the option to move Grace McCoshen up to 3rd Line Center, thus giving OSU 3 complete forward lines. That option was exercised.


#3 Star: Anabella Fanale, Minnesota
Fanale's goal launched the Gopher comeback bid. The play began with crisp long range passes from Ava Lindsay & Allie Franco. Anabella's dynamic dash and well placed shot proved to be the highlight of the day for the U of M.

#2 Star: Special Teams, Ohio State
See above. Kudos to every player who hit the ice on Special Teams.

#1 Star: (tie) Emma Peschel, Ohio State; and Jocelyn Amos, Ohio State
Friday afternoon I mentioned that I sometimes use the Official Stats as a tiebreaker. Can't do that this time. Both players had a goal and an assist on exactly 9 shots. Not surprisingly, those 9 shot totals easily led all players.

OK, maybe I snuck in one little tiebreaker. I listed Emma first because she had 5 Blocks. But big picture, this game required a total team effort. Placing both a forward & a defender at the top feels just right.


Next Stargazing/Next Article/Up Next: The Ohio State/Minnesota Rematch At 3:00 PM Saturday. As My Esteemed Colleague osualum86 Told You, Come At 2:00 PM For The Senior Day Ceremony.
 
The Buckeyes honored five seniors on this day!

The great leadership of this group ... Brooke Disher, Hailey MacLeod, Sloane Matthews, Emma Peschel, and Sara Swiderski ... is what has propelled this team through this stretch of games against the top teams in the league with a 5-1 record. I am so proud of these young ladies! Thank you all for choosing the Buckeyes!

Those seniors, along with the rest of the team, did not disappoint today, earning a hard-fought 3-1 victory to complete the sweep of 3rd-ranked Minnesota. The Gophers opened the scoring in this one on a goal from talented defender Chloe Primerano to take a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, Grace McCoshen scored her first goal as a Buckeye to tie things at 1 heading into the first intermission. Maxine Cimoroni and Sloane Matthews scored for Ohio State in the second period to give the Bucks a 3-1 lead heading into the final intermission. Neither team could find the back of the net in the final frame and that is how the game ended. Ohio State outshot Minnesota 26-22 in this game. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod stopped 21 of the 22 shots she faced to get the win. Hannah Clark got the start in net for the Gophers and stopped 23 of the 26 shots she faced. Ohio State will wrap up the regular season with a trip to Bemidji State next weekend. Minnesota will return home to face Minnesota-Duluth.
 
Final Score From Saturday, February 14th
Ohio State 3
Minnesota 1


Sweet Valentine's Day Send-Off For The Seniors​

It's impossible to believe that another regular season has almost come and gone. And yet the Senior Day Home Game is in the books.

Was it a St. Valentine's Day Massacre? Hardly. We saw a hard fought game in which goals were difficult to come by. Each of the Seniors made valuable contributions to a sweet sweep of Minnesota. And yet it was underclassmen that scored the key goals.

Now there's no love lost between these two programs. So in that sense, the Valentine's Day scheduling might have been a bit of a mismatch. But at the same time, it's always an honor to compete with Gopher Women's Hockey. Here's to hoping the Golden Gophers feel the same way.


Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

Honorable Mention: (tie) Brooke Disher; Hailey MacLeod; Sloane Matthews; Emma Peschel and Sara Swiderski -- The Ohio State Seniors
Congratulations to a very solid, easy to love Senior Class. Thank you for the seasons & memories you've given to OSU. We appreciate all of you!

As is tradition, Senior Day began with a special starting line-up for the honorees. Since there were three defenders in the class, Brooke found herself in an unaccustomed role as the Starting Left Wing. Goalie Hailey nearly posted a shutout, recording 21 Saves on 22 Gopher Shots. Sloane bagged a valuable insurance goal during the Major PP. Emma & Sara were stalwarts on Defense, each recording 3 Blocked Shots.


#3 Star: Chloe Primerano, Minnesota
One Gopher broke through against the Buckeye 'D'. Chloe launched a fine blast from the top of the Left Wing Circle on the first U of M PP. Overall, Gopher Special Teams were much improved over the Friday performance. They played the Buckeyes to a standoff, with each team scoring once with the man advantage.

#2 Star: Grace McCoshen, Ohio State
Kaia Malachino took a long dash to the Gopher Net. Malachino severely tested the goalie, but wasn't able to hit the twine. Happily Grace crashed the net, scoring on the rebound. Even more happily, it was Sophomore McCoshen's first goal as a Buckeye.

The Gophers had gotten off to a solid start, grabbing a 1-0 lead. McCoshen's tally tied the score, and turned the tide in this game.

#1 Star: Maxine Cimoroni, Ohio State
Maxine actually had the Secondary Assist on the McCoshen Goal. From there it was time to bag a goal of her own,

The play began with one of the nicest Goalie Assists you'll ever see. With the puck securely cradled in her curved goalie stick, Hailey MacLeod banked the puck off the boards past a Minnesota forechecker, and directly to Jocelyn Amos. Amos then sprung Freshman Cimoroni on a breakaway down the right wing lane. Maxine carried the puck across the slot, and literally beat the goalie to the far post. No carom; no lucky bounce. Just got there first and stuffed the puck in. It held up as the GWG.


Next Stargazing: The Buckeyes Next Home Games Will Be Part Of The Opening Round Of The WCHA Playoffs. See You At The Ice Rink On February 27th & 28th. The Sunday, March 1st Game Will Be Played Only If Necessary.
 
The Buckeyes welcomed Olympian Sanni Vanhanen back with a 7-1 victory over Bemidji State. Kaia Malachino opened the scoring with a power play goal in the first period to give visiting Ohio State a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. The Bucks would add two more goals in the second period from Emma Peschel and Malachino to lead 3-0. Hailey Armstrong scored for the Beavers to cut the lead to 3-1, but that was as close as Bemidji would get as Ohio State would score another goal in the middle frame from Sloane Matthews to take a 4-1 lead into the final intermission. Ohio State would get three more goals in the final period to put this one away and make the final score 7-1. Scoring for Ohio State in the third period were Jocelyn Amos, Sloane Matthews and Kaia Malachino. Ohio State outshot the Beavers 45-21. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod continued to be solid in net, stopping 20 of the 21 shots she faced in the win. Bemidji's Kaitlin Groess stopped 38 of the 45 shots she faced in the loss. The two teams will wrap up their series tomorrow at 4:00 pm EST.
 
It wasn't pretty, but the Buckeyes were able to complete the sweep of Bemidji earlier today by a final score of 6-3. Bemidji would open the scoring in this one on a goal from Kate Johnson to lead 1-0. Later in the period, Ohio State got two goals within 47 seconds of each other from Sloane Matthews and Kaia Malachino to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Early in the second period, Raeley Carney scored for the Beavers to tie it at 2. Ohio State answered with three goals from Sara Swiderski, Maxine Cimoroni, and Emma Peschel to take a 5-2 lead into the final intermission. Hannah Graves pulled Bemidji to within 2 at 5-3 early in the third period. Kaia Malachino added an empty net goal late in the game to make the final score 6-3. The Buckeyes outshot the Beavers 39-15 in this one. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod stopped 12 of the 15 shots she faced in the win. Kaitlin Groess got the start in net for the Beavers and stopped 33 of the 38 shots she faced. Bemidji will likely travel to Wisconsin next weekend for the first round of the WCHA Playoffs barring a an upset tomorrow in the game between Wisconsin and St. Cloud. Looking at the league standings, Ohio State will host St. Thomas next weekend in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs.

2025-26 Hockey Standings Presented by Bell Bank - Western Collegiate Hockey Association

The official 2025-26 Hockey Standings Presented by Bell Bank for Western Collegiate Hockey Association
wcha.com wcha.com
 
The Buckeyes welcomed back their five Olympians tonight with a 5-1 victory over visiting St. Thomas in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. Sara Swiderski opened the scoring in the first period to give Ohio State a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission. Swiderski and Joy Dunne scored in the second period to give the Buckeyes a 3-0 lead at the final intermission. Whitney Horton got the Tommies on the board in the final frame to cut Ohio State's lead to 3-1. The Bucks added two more goals from Jordyn Petrie and Hilda Svensson to make the final score 5-1. Ohio State outshot St. Thomas in this one 44-8. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod stopped 7 of the 8 shots she faced in the win. St. Thomas goaltender Julia Minotti stopped 39 of the 44 shots she faced. The two teams will play game 2 tomorrow at 3:00 pm EST.
 
Final Score From Friday, February 27th
Ohio State 5
St. Thomas 1
(OSU Leads Best of Three Series 1-0)


Thunderous Applause Welcomes The Buckeye Olympians Back To Campus​

Immediately prior to the announcement of the starting line-ups, each of the 5 Olympic Players received a brief tribute. The crowd responded with long, loud & heartfelt ovations. Not surprisingly, the loudest cheers of all were reserved for Gold Medalist Joy Dunne.

The energy from the crowd seemed to lift both teams in the early going. Shots were hard to come by on both sides. But everyone played with pace and purpose. A goal late in the first period proved to be the breakthrough OSU needed. The Buckeyes dominated the scoring and the shot count the rest of the way.

Much of the damage was done by the Olympians. Clearly they brought some magic home from Italy, and perhaps Mt. Olympus as well. So for this game only, I'll set aside the usual Star designations, and borrow from Greek Mythology. Just who are these Greek Goddesses?

Now don't take these mythological references too seriously. Deep meaning isn't intended. We're just having some fun at a superficial level.


The Greek Goddesses of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

St. Thomas Honorable Mention: Whitney Horton
Whitney broke the shutout with a great individual effort. Her forecheck caused an OSU turnover. Her quick release shot surprised everyone in the building, including the Buckeye goalie.

The fact that Horton was the Tommie Goal Scorer? Not a huge surprise. Whitney had 4 SOG -- literally half of the St. Thomas Team Total of 8 Shots.

Ohio State Honorable Mention: The Three Swedish Olympians
Tre Kroner indeed. Three crowns for three royals. Hilda Svensson led the trio with a goal & an assist. The goal came in the late going on a PP, with one of the helpers belonging to Mira Jungaker.

We're all a bit concerned for Jenna Raunio. Jenna played well before being injured, contributing a couple of shot blocks. Unfortunately the injury appeared to be somewhat serious. Raunio got to the bench on her own. But after initial treatment, she was wheeled out of the arena on a gurney. Here's to hoping for a full recovery ASAP.


The Athena Award: Sanni Vanhanen, Ohio State
It's been said that Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom. With wisdom comes the power of strategic thinking. When you're thinking strategically, you can create hockey plays. Sanni did. Her two 2nd Period Assists were invaluable in creating separation between the teams.

The Artemis Award: Joy Dunne, Ohio State
Artemis is understood to be the Goddess of the Hunt. She hunts with skill and athleticism. When Joy has you in her sights, watch out.

Dunne was part of an All-Olympic Forward Line with Vanhanen & Svensson. The three combined for a brilliant goal. The box score says Joy from Sanni & Hilda. Or, if you prefer, USA from Finland & Sweden. Slick passes from Svensson, then Vanhanen. And what a world class finish from Dunne, who positively drilled the puck into the upper part of the the net. Big picture, the tally was the second of a pair of goals scored 35 seconds apart.

The Crowning Moment of Game 1? Oh Yeah.

The Hera Award: Sara Swiderski, Ohio State
Hera is the Queen of the Olympian Gods. She's Regal & Powerful. But here's the thing. This time Hera isn't from Mt. Olympus. Nor did she travel to Milan/Cortina at all. Be that as it may, the Game 1 Queen of the Gods just has to be Sara.

Swiderski scored the first two goals of the contest. The first one was particularly thrilling to behold. Shooting from the right point, Sara identified a clear line to the lower left-hand corner of the net. With laser-like precision, she nailed it. The Buckeyes were off & running.

Overall, Swiderski had 2 Goals & 2 Assists for a 4 point night. Her +4 performance easily led all players. Note that the first of Sara's assists came on yet another Swiderski Slapper. Jordyn Petrie skillfully tipped in that rifle shot.

The Game 1 Difference Maker? Oh Yeah.


The Eris Award: Not Particularly Confidential
Eris is the Goddess of Chaos & Discord. I didn't and couldn't designate a Buckeye as Eris. In the WCHA, Eris plays for the Gophers. Naturally we thank Eris for everything she did for Team USA.


Next Stargazing: Game 2 Of The Ohio State/St. Thomas Playoff Series At 3:00 PM Saturday. We're Running Out Of Home Games; Don't Miss It!
 
The Buckeyes completed a sweep of St. Thomas earlier today and will move on to the WCHA Final Faceoff. Their opponent is not known at this point as both the Minnesota vs. St. Cloud series and the Minnesota-Duluth vs. Minnesota State series will require a third game to decide. Ohio State opened the scoring in this one on goals from Hilda Svensson and Mira Jungaker to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Sanni Vanhanen added a goal in the middle frame to put the Buckeyes up 3-0. Maddie Brown scored for St. Thomas to get the visitors on the board and the teams headed to the final intermission with Ohio State leading 3-1. Vanhanen scored early in the final frame to put Ohio State up 4-1 and that is how the game ended. Ohio State outshot the Tommies 31-20. Buckeye backstop Hailey MacLeod stopped 19 of the 20 shots she faced to get the win. Julia Minotti started in net for St. Thomas and stopped 27 of the 31 shots she faced. St. Thomas' season comes to a close with this one. The Buckeyes will find out who they will face in the WCHA Final Faceoff after tomorrow's games are completed.
 
Final Score From Saturday, February 21st
Ohio State 4
St.Thomas 1
(OSU Wins Best of Three Series 2-0)

Buckeyes Win Playoff Series; How Swede It Is​

In my Game 1 write-up, I placed our Swedish Olympians in the Honorable Mention slot. Such placement won't be nearly enough for Game 2. The Swedes dominated the score sheet.

Upfront, let's give some credit to the visiting Tommies. When #7 travels to play #2, it will inevitably be an uphill climb. So naturally St. Thomas wanted to plant the seeds of Doubt in the Ohio State psyche. Were they successful? Partially. Did OSU have a real battle on its hands? Definitely. Did the Buckeyes have a real fear of losing Game 2? Not so much.

Clearly the Tommies didn't want their season to end. The Athletes of Anderson Arena would have loved to compete in the Final Face-Off on their Home Ice. So The Sirens of Summit Avenue turned their compete level up a notch, producing a much more competitive shot count in the rematch. But in the end, the 2025-26 Buckeyes simply had too much firepower for the proud Tommies to contain.



Three Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial & Just For Fun​

St. Thomas Honorable Mention: Julia Minotti
Julia won't be satisfied with giving up 9 goals over the course of the weekend. The 66 saves won't provide much consolation either. But Minotti's Leadership was never in doubt.

Sometimes when a team is eliminated in post-season play, a team leader will position herself at the exit door. The purpose being to congratulate each teammate individually as they exit the ice. Grad student Minotti fulfilled that tradition in a big way, generously distributing bear hugs to her Tommie teammates. By doing so she honored both her university and her sport.

Ohio State Honorable Mention: Emma Peschel
Emma recorded her 100th Scoring Point as a Buckeye on Saturday. It came on the game's opening goal. Receiving a crisp pass from Sara Swiderski, Peschel uncorked a belligerent blast on the Tommie Net. Goalie Minotti somehow kept that shot out of the net. But the resulting rebound proved to be as tangy as Lingonberry Preserves. Not surprisingly, Peschel's Primary Assist quickly became official, preserving her place in the Buckeye Hockey Record Books.

Next came the well-deserved The PA Announcement & Resulting Ovation. Congratulations, Emma!


#3 Star: (tie) Maddie Brown, St. Thomas; Sadie Lindsay, St. Thomas; and Ella Boerger, St. Thomas
For the most part, the Buckeyes controlled their defensive zone. But three straight Tommies made fine plays to create Maddie's breakthrough goal. Sadie had the first assist while Ella started the play.

#2 Star: Hilda Svennson, Ohio State
Now, about those Swedes. Hilda was on the receiving end of the aforementioned tangy rebound. Given the Grade 'A' chance and the confident Svensson shot, the St. Thomas keeper was toast. And why not? Lingonberry preserves on toast is a tasty combination!

All kidding aside, Hilda's goal came at an important juncture in the Buckeye bid to stave off the St. Thomas challenge. Just as the underdog wants to create doubt, the favorite wants to extinguish hope. The Svensson goal? A big step in the right direction.

For the game, Hilda had a goal and two assists for three scoring points. That total was matched by only one other player.

#1 Star: Mira Jungaker, Ohio State
So who matched the Svensson scoring totals? Mira, of course. Now I could have put the two Swedes in a tie at the top spot. It would have been easy to justify. But in the end, I felt Jungaker did just a little more.

Mira & Joy Dunne produced the GWG on a spectacular rink long give and go. Jungaker intercepted a St. Thomas centering pass, then directed a breakout pass to Dunne. Joy bull rushed through the neutral zone. Then, at just the right moment, Joy returned the puck to Mira. The artistic Jungaker gave us a picture perfect finish.

On the 3rd Buckeye goal, #14 received a pass from #8 at the left post. Mira then steered the puck on goal, creating chaos in the goal mouth. In the wild scramble that ensued, Sanni Vanhanen got credit for being the last to touch the puck. Add in Sanni's beautiful tip on the game's final tally, and Vanhanen probably should have received a Star. Long live Finnish Sisu!

That said, the Swedish Synergy between Jungaker & Svennson was evident all game long. Plus, Mira had the GWG and created the 1st insurance goal. So that's my list, and I'm sticking to it!


Next Stargazing: Nothing's Official Until The Selection Show Airs On Sunday March 8th. But The Buckeyes Appear To Be Well-Positioned To Once Again Host A Regional Tournament. If It Plays Out That Way, I Plan To Do The Three Stars For Both The "Neutral Game" On March 12th & The Championship Game On March 14th.
 
Last edited:
osualum86 said:
Pgb, I think auto-correct jumped up and bit you ... "Mira" Jungaker. :)
Click to expand...
Yup. I noticed it almost immediately and frantically tried to eliminate the numerous misspellings. Of which there were quite a few! The fix only took a minute or so, but you were all over it. Anyhow, I believe all of the "Mari" references have now been corrected.
 
Ohio State advanced to the WCHA Final Faceoff Title Game with a 4-0 win over Minnesota. The Buckeyes will face top-ranked Wisconsin for the WCHA Final Faceoff Title as the Badgers defeated Minnesota State 7-2 in the first semifinal game. Sloane Matthews opened the scoring for Ohio State to put the Bucks up 1-0 at the first intermission. Kaia Malachino added another goal for Ohio State to put them up 2-0 heading into the final intermission. Jocelyn Amos and Sloane Matthews added goals for Ohio State in the third frame to make the final score 4-0. The Buckeyes outshot the Gophers 33-22 in this one. Buckeye netminder Hailey MacLeod stopped all 22 shots she faced to get the win. Hannah Clark started in net for the Gophers and stopped 29 of the 33 shots she faced. Next up for the Gophers is the NCAA Tournament where they will either host Northeastern or travel to Northeastern depending on how the NPI shakes out.
 
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