No. 1 Buckeyes look to eliminate “bitter taste” in Frozen Four

The Ohio State women’s ice hockey team has a bitter taste in its mouth.

The Buckeyes are back in the Frozen Four just over a year after losing to Wisconsin in last season’s national championship game, and two weeks after falling 6-3 in their conference championship game to the Badgers this year.

With an NCAA semifinal matchup against No. 4 Clarkson (33-4-2, 18-3-1 ECAC) slated for Friday at 4 p.m., No. 1 Ohio State (33-4-0, 26-2-0 WCHA) is eager to get rid of that taste.

Graduate forward and team captain Jennifer Gardiner said the Buckeyes are hungry to prove themselves, which they demonstrated with a 9-0 NCAA quarterfinal win against No. 8 Minnesota Duluth.

“Obviously there’s a bitter taste in our mouth after that WCHA Final Faceoff game,” Gardiner said. “Coming into the NCAA quarterfinal, we knew that was chapter three, starting the national playoff. Obviously, Duluth is a very good team, but we really put the foot on the gas and made a statement on what this team can do, and that’s why we’re really excited to be here at the Frozen Four.”

The Frozen Four is familiar territory for most Ohio State players; 13 of the Buckeyes’ current players were on last season’s national runner-up squad, and nine won the national title in 2022. But for the 10 transfers and freshmen — none of whom have played in a Frozen Four before — head coach Nadine Muzerall said there is a different attitude.

“It’s talking to two different groups,” Muzerall said. “You’re talking to a group that’s never been here; they have their own bitterness from never being here before, so there’s a lot of motivation from both sides to capture your first or try to get back what was yours.”

One of those players, Boston College transfer and graduate defenseman Cayla Barnes, has played in two Winter Olympic Games and two International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships — but never a Frozen Four. Barnes said she chose to transfer to Ohio State for another chance to be on the big stage.

“I’ve done a lot of things in my career, but this is not one of them,” Barnes said. “It’s really special to be here and I’m just really looking forward to the opportunity. It is such a special group and the perfect blend of experience at a Frozen Four but also hunger.”

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