At first glance, Friday’s women’s hockey game at St. Thomas Ice Arena looked like just another dominating performance by No. 2 Ohio State against an overmatched team from St. Thomas.

But the 5-1 final — the Buckeyes’ 13th straight win against the Tommies — does not tell the story of how competitive the game was until Ohio State put it away with a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes.

After playing two close games against No. 8 St. Cloud State last weekend (a 1-1 tie and a 3-1 loss), Tommies coach Joel Johnson believes his team continued moving in the right direction against the Buckeyes.

“They’re the No. 2 team in the nation for a reason,” Johnson said, “But what I think we showed ourselves today is that over the long haul — maybe tomorrow, maybe two weeks, two months from now — we’ve shown that if we compete defensively, we have a chance to win.

“But we have to score. Maybe that’s someone making a special play, but normally it’s someone getting a lucky bounce. We have not gotten that, and other teams are responsible for the bad luck we’ve gotten. Eventually, the tide will turn.”

Tommies sophomore right wing Madison Brown, who scored St. Thomas’ goal, liked the way the Tommies competed.

“I think they’re a super-competitive team,” she said, “But I think we just leaned into it. That was our goal, to play as tough as we could, too.”

Both teams were shook up by a scary incident midway through the second period when Tommies freshman defenseman Cailin Mumm was injured after being checked into the boards from behind. Medical personnel quickly came to her aid after she stayed down on the ice and quickly called for a stretcher to be brought out.

Mumm eventually was helped to her skates, but she did leave the ice on the stretcher. Few details were provided afterward, but indications are that Mumm avoided serious injury.

“Cailin is in good spirits,” Johnson said. “She’s going to battle back and be healthy. I know both teams were concerned. I appreciate Ohio State reaching out. And our medical staff was
outstanding responding to the situation.”

The Tommies, who trailed 2-1, went on a five-minute power play, but the teams were playing four on four 26 seconds later when St. Thomas center Cara Sajevic was sent off for checking. The Tommies were back on the power play when Ohio State’s Jenna Buglioni scored on a short-handed breakaway.

“Before the short-handed goal we got to a four-on-four situation, which I didn’t like for a variety of reasons,” Johnson said. “And then the whole tenor of the game changes. They’re a veteran team and they played like it and scored the short-handed goal.

“I thought that was the turning point in the game.”

The Tommies had a number of good scoring chances in the game but were unable to get anything past Buckeyes goaltender Amanda Thiele after Brown gave the Tommies a 1-0 lead at 2:37 of the first period.

“We’re getting chances, but someone has to bury the puck,” Johnson said.

Brown said the focus against a team with as much firepower as Ohio State has to be playing good defense, which she said can lead to good scoring chances at the other end. But there are things she feels the Tommies can do better offensively.

“Getting people in front of the net, screening the goalie and being there for rebounds,” she said. “And getting more shots on net is key.”

The Tommies, who have been outscored 69-10 in their 13 losses to the Buckeyes, get another crack at them on Saturday afternoon.

“I’d like to play the same game and score,” Johnson said. “I’d like to wear them out, play four lines, play six ‘D’ and make them compete with us over 60 minutes.”

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