No. 2 Minnesota looked like two different teams in the first and second periods.Â
In the first, No. 3 Ohio State had its way with the Gophers, scoring a goal off the stick of Paetyn Levis and controlling the action. The Buckeyes led, 1-0, and outshot the opposition, 12-3.Â
But in the second, the Gophers came out firing, notching four goals before the halfway point of the period en route to a 5-3 win and a series split on the weekend.Â
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It started less than three minutes into the frame when Minnesota's Maggie Nicholson's shot from the blue line found a way through a plethora of players and into the back of the net. It was her first collegiate goal. Less than two minutes later, Taylor Heise scored one from the side of OSU goalie Amanda Thiele to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.Â
Try and find an angle that @taylorheise9 can't score from...
— Minnesota Women's Hockey (@GopherWHockey) January 29, 2022
We dare you. pic.twitter.com/o0Ji2JSsV3
Madeline Wethington continued the trend of Gopher goals and potted one past Thiele from the high slot to give her squad a 3-1 lead. Then it was Heise on a 2-on-1 to make it 4-1. For Heise, her two-goal day brought her to 20 on the season, which is a career-high. She also leads the nation in points with 46.Â
But Ohio State didn't go down without a fight.Â
Roughly six minutes into the final 20, OSU defenseman Sophie Jaques finished off a 4-on-2 to cut the lead to 4-2. Then it was Liz Schepers firing one off of Minnesota defender Emily Brown and over goalie Makayla Pahl to cut the lead to 4-3.Â
The comeback was thwarted, however, when Minnesota's Audrey Wethington potted an empty-netter to secure the 5-3 win.Â
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Pahl finished her day with 32 saves on 35 shots. Thiele countered by stopping 23 of 27 shots.Â
With the win, Minnesota splits this massive series with Ohio State after losing in overtime Friday night, 2-1.Â
