Re: WCHA Thread III
Final From Friday, September 28th
Ohio State 4
Lindenwood 0
Massive Shot Barrage Highlights Opening Night Win
64 Shots on Goal! I haven't checked, but I've got to believe that's a program record. The shot production was well balanced, with 19 coming in the first, 23 in the second, and 22 shots in the third. The Buckeyes produced constant pressure throughout the contest, and broke through often enough to secure a solid win.
3 Stars of the Game: Decidedly Unofficial and Just For Fun
Ohio State Honorable Mention: (tie)Paige Semenza and Hokey Langan
Paige and Hokey led all shooters with 8 apiece. Paige was a force in the slot, creating traffic, attempting tips and battling for rebounds. Hokey did a fine job of playmaking from the perimeter; particular on the Power Play. That said, these players weren't rewarded on the scoresheet until late in the 3rd Period. To complete the scoring, Langan executed a beautiful pass across the slot to Semenza, who then launched an authoritative rocket high into the net. A feed from
Minttu Tuominen started the successful odd man rush.
Lindenwood Honorable Mention: (tie)Alyssa West and Brooke Peden
This is the first time I've seen Lindenwood play. Admittedly the Lions were under siege most of the evening. But #21 and #22 still stood out for me. First line center West and First Right 'D' Peden both logged a ton of ice time, at even strength and on special teams. Both pounced on loose pucks with cat-like quickness. The determined efforts of these players helped keep the Lions in the game.
#3 Star: Nicole Hensley, Lindenwood
Welcome to Division One Hockey, Nicole. 60 saves, count 'em 60. Now that's a freshman debut. Many of the stops were of the spectacular variety, including thwarted breakaways. Hensley also swallowed many long range shots, refusing to give up juicy rebounds. No doubt Nicole was disappointed with the loss. But without her strong goaltending, this could have been an 8-0 game.
#2 Star: Kari Schmitt, Ohio State
Kari had an effective night on 'D', and also dropped 7 bombs on the Lindenwood net. One of those found the mark, apparently after glancing off one of the Lindenwood defenders. For good measure Kari used crisp perimeter passing on the Power Play to earn an assist on the 3rd Buckeye goal.
#1 Star: Taylor Kuehl, Ohio State
It was great to see Taylor have a strong night at Center. For starters, she won 9 of her 17 draws. One of those face-off wins led directly to Kari Schmitt's goal. Kuehl steered the puck to
Danielle Gagne, whose pass to the point fed Kari. Later, Taylor had a brilliant tip-in off a
Sara Schmitt shot from the right circle. Or perhaps it was an outstanding screen and a convincing fake tip. But the puck certainly appeared to rise after hitting Taylor's stick. Kuehl was also a leader in the shot parade, putting 5 pucks on target.
Up Next: Rematch with Lindenwood Saturday Afternoon at 4:07 PM.
