October 17th

Gophers Rout Buckeyes 8-1
Mark Christopher, Sophomore Writer


MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- The No. 2 ranked University of Minnesota Women's hockey team (3-1-0, 2-2-0 WCHA) hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes (2-2-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) in the first of a two-game weekend WCHA series Friday night at Ridder Arena.

The Gophers are coming off a sweep over the defending National Champions, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Last Friday in the WCHA season opener Melanie Gagnon scored the game-winning power play goal with :25 seconds left in overtime to give the Gophers a 4-3 win over the top-ranked Bulldogs, and then Jenny Lura made 36 saves and freshman twins Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux each scored to complete the sweep with a 2-0 win Saturday. UMD had not been swept on its home ice since Wisconsin won twice there on Jan. 6-7, 2002, and the last time the Bulldogs were shutout at home also came against Minnesota when Kim Hanlon won, 3-0, last year on Nov.18.

The Ohio State Buckeyes were swept in their season and WCHA opener last weekend by the Wisconsin Badgers 7-4 and 4-0, which dropped the then No. 9 ranked team out of the polls. In their first four games of the season, freshman forward Natalie Spooner leads the Buckeyes with four points (3-1=4), followed by senior forward Hayley Klassen (2-1=3) and freshman forward Laura McIntosh1-2=3) with three points. Senior goaltender Liana Bonanno has made 30 or more saves in all four games this season and posted a 3.50 goals against average and .905 save percentage.

Friday marked the 41st meeting between the two schools, dating back to the start of the WCHA in 1999. During that span Minnesota holds a 31-8-1 record against OSU, including a 3-1-0 record against the Buckeyes last season. The Gophers swept OSU 7-3 and 5-1 at Ridder Arena Feb. 8-9. However, prior to the series sweep last February, Minnesota and OSU had split five consecutive series meetings.

It didn't take long for Minnesota to prove that they deserved their Number 2 ranking, as just 1:21 into the game freshman Monique Lamoureux got the puck at centre ice and skated right toward the net and OSU senior goalie Liana Bonanno, gave her a great deke and slid the puck past her for a 1-0 Gopher lead. Minnesota followed with their first power play goal of the game at 11:40 from junior Brittany Francis, and Senior Rachel Drazen's turn around wrist shot from the right face off circle at 13:38 gave the Gophers their second power play goal in as many chances and a 3-0 lead which they carried into the first intermission.

After winning the opening faceoff to start the second period, Minnesota held the puck in the zone for just over 2 minutes and fired off 5 shots at Bonanno. The Buckeye goalie wasn't so lucky the rest of period as the Gophers added four more goals from freshman Jocelyne Lamoureux at 5:35, sophomore Jen Schoullis at 12:22 and again at 16:20, and sophomore Laura May at 18:23.

After 7 goals given up and 32 shots faced, OSU head coach Jackie Barto pulled Liana Bonanno and put sophomore Deidre Facklis in net, who gave up one goal to Minnesota forward Laura May at 7:27, but made several impressive saves, 9 in all, in relief.

Ohio State's lone goal was scored just as they had killed off a penalty at 4:56 of the third period when junior Raelyn LaRocque went top shelf on Minnesota freshman Alyssa Grogan.

With the win Minnesota improves to 3-0-0 in the WCHA, 4-1-0 overall, while Ohio State drops to 0-3-0 in the WCHA and 2-3-0 overall. Game time for tomorrow afternoon's game at Ridder Arena is 4pm.


GAME STATS:

Minnesota Team Summary


Player -------------------------- G A PIM Sh +/-

Kelly Seeler------------------- 0 . 0 4 3 +3
Melanie Gagnon------------- 0 2 0 2 +1
Sarah Erickson--------------- 0 0 2 2 0
Laura May--------------------- 1 1 0 2 +2
Rachael Drazan------------- 1 0 0 3 0
Kelli Blankenship------------ 0 0 0 1 +1
Jaimie Horton---------------- 0 1 0 2 +2
Brittany Francis-------------- 1 1 0 3 +1
Jocelyne Lamoureux-------1 0 2 1 +2
Chelsey Jones--------------- 0 1 0 0 +1
Emily West-------------------- 0 3 2 5 0
Nikki Ludwigson------------- 0 0 0 0 0
Gili Marvin--------------------- 0 1 0 5 0
Alexandra Zebro------------- 0 0 2 4 +2
Monique Lamoureux--------1 1 2 3 +2
Anne Schleper--------------- 0 1 0 1 +2
Jen Schoullis----------------- 2 0 0 3 +2
Terra Rasmussen----------- 1 0 0 2 +2
Michelle Maunu-------------- 0 0 0 0 +1


Shots on Goal

OSU 4-2-6 12
MN 13-19-10 42


Faceoffs Won

OSU 32
MN 29


Penalties--Minutes

OSU 9--18
MN 7--14


Power Plays

OSU 0-3 (1 SOG, Time on PP 6:07)
MN 2-6 (11 SOG, Time on PP 8:41)

Goals

OSU 0-0-1 1
MN 3-4-1 8

Prd--Time-Team--Scored by (Assists)

1st--01:21--MN--EV Monique Lamourex (Melanie Gagnon)
1st--11:40--MN--PP Brittany Francis (Melanie Gagnon, Gigi Marvin)
1st--13:38--MN--PP Rachael Drazen (Emily West, Gigi Marvin)

2nd--05:35--MN--EV Jocelyne Lamoureux (Brittany Francis, Emily West)
2nd--12:22--MN--EV Jen Schoullis (Chelsey Jones)
2nd--16:20--MN--EV Jen Schoullis (Monique Lamoureu, Anne Schleper)
2nd--18:23--MN--EV Laura May (Unassisted)

3rd--04:56--OSU--EV Raelyn LaRocque (Kelly Wild, Teal Bishop)
3rd--07:27--MN--EV Terra Rasmussen (Laura May, Jaimie Horton)


Goalie Stats

Ohio State University

Liana Bonanno (Loss) 40:00 Min 7 GA 25 SV
Deidre Facklis 20:00 Min 1 GA 9 SV


Minnesota

Alyssa Grogan (Win) 60:00 Min 1 GA 11 SV
EMPTY NET 00:06 Min


Three Stars of the Game

3--MN--Laura May
2--MN--Emily West
1--MN--Jen Schoullis