GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The University of North Dakota picked up its seventh-consecutive win Friday night defeating Ohio State, 5-2, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena to clinch home ice for the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs.
North Dakota improves to 21-10-0 and 16-9-0 in the league while Ohio State falls to 16-13-2 (11-12-2 WCHA). UND now has an 11-point lead over the Buckeyes in the standings with three games remaining to guarantee it will host.
UND matches its longest winning streak in program history set earlier this season and has not lost to any team not named Minnesota or Wisconsin since Nov. 2 versus Clarkson.
For much of the season UND had been looking for secondary scoring and the past few weeks it has found it including tonight as 11 different players reached the score sheet.
The night got off to great start for UND has Michelle Karvinen (Rodovre, Denmark) scored a highlight-reel goal at the seven-minute mark of the first period for her 100th-collegiate point.
The puck was collected for her keepsake after she flew by a Buckeye's defenseman to come in all alone on the OSU netminder and found the back of the net on her forehand.
The Buckeyes were the hungrier team the remainder of the period and Hokey Langen took advantage scoring the game's next two goals at 15:49 of the first period and 7:24 of the middle frame to take the lead.
It was kind of an unfamiliar feeling as it was the first time UND had trailed in a game since losing 2-1 versus Wisconsin on Jan. 19.
It was all UND after that point however as it closed out the game with four unanswered goals. After getting edged in shots during the first period, North Dakota outshot the Buckeyes 34-11 in the final two periods including 23-6 in the second stanza.
OSU lead would only last 4-minutes and 23-seconds as Meghan Dufault (Winnipeg, Manitoba) secured her 15th goal of her freshman campaign.
Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) scored her eighth game-winning and 31st goal of the season to regain the lead and Megan Gilbert (Andover, Minn.) tallied her third of the year to send UND into the second break leading 4-2.
After opening the game's scoring, Karvinen concluded it tallying the lone goal of the third period on the power play.
Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) had a game-high three points, all assists, and 11 shots on goal.
Shelby Amsley-Benzie (Warroad, Minn.) stopped 21-of-23 shots to pick up her 14th win of the season.
North Dakota will go for the series sweep tomorrow at 7 p.m. and will be celebrating senior night after the game.
