Preview: Ohio State Visits Bemidji State in Women’s Hockey

BEMIDJI, Minn. (Interstat) — A matchup of teams at opposite ends of the standings unfolds Friday when the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes visit the Bemidji State Beavers in a Women’s NCAA Division I hockey game at the Bemidji Regional Events Center.

The Buckeyes (28-4), the nation’s premier team, enter on a dominant run, having won 10 of their last 11 games. Their most recent outing was a 3-1 victory over then-Minnesota on Saturday. Ohio State has outscored opponents 42-15 over its last eight contests.

Conversely, the Beavers (6-23) have struggled, losing 10 of their last 11. They are coming off a 5-0 road loss to St. Cloud State on Saturday and have been shut out in three of their last five games.

The series history heavily favors Ohio State. In their October meetings in Columbus, the Buckeyes swept the Beavers 6-0 and 2-1.

A key player to watch for Ohio State is forward Maxine Cimoroni, who is riding a five-game point streak. In that span, she has four goals and six assists, including a goal and an assist in each of the wins over Minnesota last weekend.

For Bemidji State, defender Carmen Bray will be relied upon to help stabilize the back end. Bray has recorded an assist in three of her last seven games and leads the team’s blue line in offensive involvement during the recent stretch.

The Beavers will face a monumental challenge against an Ohio State offense averaging over four goals per game. Bemidji State goaltenders will likely be under constant pressure from a deep Buckeyes attack.

The game is scheduled for a 6:07 p.m. CST start. The teams will meet again at the same venue Saturday to conclude the series.