COLUMBUS, Ohio – It took extra time to decide the winner of Friday's top-five matchup between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Minnesota at the OSU Ice Rink. Graduate forward Jenn Gardiner scored the game-winning goal 1:39 into overtime to push the Buckeyes (6-1-0, 5-0-0 WCHA) ahead of the Gophers (5-1-0, 3-1-0 WCHA), 4-3, in front of a sold-out crowd in Columbus.
 
How it Happened

• While the game went to overtime, it only took Ohio State 24 seconds to score their first goal of the game. Hannah Bilka skated behind Minnesota goaltender Skylar Vetter to knock in a shot originally from Gardiner, giving the Buckeyes an early lead.
• Minnesota evened the game at 1-1 with a goal from Abbey Murphy at 15:10.
• The Buckeyes ended the first period with a 2-1 lead thanks to a goal from Sofie Lundin at 18:38. Joy Dunne sent the puck in front of Vetter where Lundin and Emma Peschel were simultaneously winding up for the shot. Lundin ultimately was the one to shoot the puck into the Minnesota goal.
• Both teams were scoreless in the second period and Ohio State goaltender Raygan Kirk made 11 stops in the frame while the Buckeyes threw 15 shots on goal.
• The Gophers kept chasing the Buckeyes, tying the game at 2-2 and 3-3 with goals at 10:37 and 15:15 in the third period. Ella Huber scored the second goal and Murphy tallied the third, which sent the game to overtime.
• Jenn Gardiner scored her first of two consecutive goals at 14:45 in the final frame of regulation to give the buckeyes a short-lived 3-2 lead. This time she knocked in a rebounded shot from Bilka in the goal crease.
• Ohio State' game-winning goal possession started with a great save from Kirk after a 2-on-1 opportunity for the Gophers a minute and a half into the sudden victory period. Emma Peschel collected the rebound and sent the puck up to Jocelyn Amos, who then found Gardiner across the neutral zone at the Minnesota blue line. Gardiner skated the puck into the Gophers' zone and appeared to be looking to pass back to Amos, but she took the shot over Vetter's blocker into the top-left corner of the goal.

Game Notes

• Gardiner earned her first two-goal game of the season and 11th multi-goal game of her career.
• Makenna Webster played in her first game of the year for the women's ice hockey team Friday against Minnesota. Webster also plays for the Buckeyes' field hockey team.
• Stephanie Markowski led the Buckeyes with three blocked shots on the day.
• Gardiner, Jocelyn Amos and Cayla Barnes earned a team-best +2 on ice in game one against the Gophers.
• Lundin's goal is her first of the season and third of her career.
• Kirk recorded her second 20+ save game of the season. She has made 89 stops on the year for Ohio State and improves her record to 4-0-0.
• The Buckeyes welcomed a sold-out crowd of 713 fans to the OSU Ice Rink on Friday evening.
• With the overtime win, Ohio State earns two conference points and Minnesota gets one.
• Ohio State improves to 4-1-0 against ranked teams this season and 2-1-0 against teams in the top-five.

Statistically Speaking
Total Shots: Ohio State 72, Minnesota 47
Shots on Goal: Ohio State 51, Minnesota 28
Saves: Minnesota (Vetter) 47, Ohio State (Kirk) 25
Power Play: Ohio State 0-1, Minnesota 0-2
Faceoffs: Ohio State 38, Minnesota 31
Ohio State Scoring: Gardiner (2-1-3), Bilka (1-1-2), Peschel (0-2-2), Lundin (1-0-1), Amos (0-1-1), Dunne (0-1-1)
 
Up Next
Ohio State and Minnesota close out the series tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. at the OSU Ice Rink.  Fans can purchase tickets online HERE or by contacting the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GOBUCKS. The game will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).