Gophers women hockey ties No. 1 Ohio State but Buckeyes win shootout for extra point

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Ohio State defenseman Sophie Jaques scored two power-play goals in the third period as the No. 1 Buckeyes women's hockey team rallied to tie the No. 2 Gophers 4-4 on Saturday at OSU Ice Arena.

Her second goal, with 5 minutes, 34 seconds left in the third period, made it 4-4. The Gophers dominated the five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime, outshooting the Buckeyes 13-3. But Raygan Kirk, who didn't play Friday in Ohio State's 4-2 loss, stopped all those shots.

And in the ensuing four-round shootout, the Buckeyes (8-1-1, 8-1-1 WCHA) won 2-1 for an extra point in the standings. Jaques and Jenna Buglioni scored for Ohio State, Grace Zumwinkle for the Gophers.

Kirk finished with 27 saves, the same as Skylar Vetter had for the Gophers.

Minnesota (7-0-1, 7-0-1) had leads of 2-0 and 3-1, but the visitors couldn't hold either.

Abbey Murphy and Josefin Bouveng scored 47 apart to make it 2-0 Gophers just 3:10 into the game. MaKenna Webster got OSU within a goal at 14:42.

In the third period, Murphy scored her second goal at 53 seconds. This time it was the Buckeyes responding with back-to-back goals in quick succession. Jennifer Gardiner got the first at 10:47 and, two minutes later, Jaques scored her first.

Taylor Heise put the Gophers ahead 4-3 on a shorthanded breakaway at 13:53. She skated right up to Kirk before shooting.

But before the penalty on Minnesota expired, Jaques scored her second goal at 14:26 on a shot from the top of the right circle.

Jaques, a graduate student from Toronto, set a Buckeyes' record with 59 points last season. She has a team-high 15 now, including five power-play goals.