Abbey Murphy and Minnesota shut out as Ohio State advances in WCHA Final Faceoff
Saturday at 12: 10 p. m. ET in St. Paul, Minn., abbey murphy and the fourth-ranked University of Minnesota women’s hockey team saw their WCHA Final Faceoff run end with a 4-0 loss to second-ranked Ohio State in the 2026 semifinal. The timing turned on special teams: Minnesota allowed three power-play goals, and Ohio State’s early conversion at the 7: 06 mark set the tone before the Buckeyes added another late to seal it.
The result also locks in Minnesota’s immediate next step: the Gophers will await their NCAA Tournament matchup, scheduled to be announced Sunday, March 8 at 10: 30 a. m. CT (11: 30 a. m. ET) on ESPNU.
Ohio State’s power-play surge flips the WCHA semifinal in St. Paul
Minnesota entered the semifinal as the third seed and Ohio State as the second seed, but the game tilted quickly when Ohio State capitalized on its first power play to take a 1-0 lead at the 7: 06 mark of the opening period. Through 20 minutes, the Buckeyes led 13-7 in shots on goal.
Ohio State extended the lead with another power-play goal at the 10: 58 mark of the second period. The Buckeyes again held the shots-on-goal edge in the middle frame, 11-7.
Ohio State’s third goal came at 6: 51 of the third period to make it 3-0, described as a one-on-zero rush that beat the Minnesota defense. With 16 seconds remaining, the Buckeyes added their third power-play goal of the game to close out the 4-0 decision.
abbey murphy’s seven shots, one key chance, and a program milestone
For Minnesota, one of the clearest scoring looks in the game came late in the second period. With just over three minutes left in the frame, Bella Fanale fed abbey murphy, who skated into the low slot and fired a high glove-side shot that was turned away by the Ohio State goaltender.
Murphy finished with seven shots on goal, leading the Gophers in that category. The semifinal also marked Murphy’s 170th career game, which stands as sixth all-time in Minnesota program history.
In net, Minnesota’s Hannah Clark recorded 28 saves. Even with that work, Minnesota was shut out for the second time this season.
Minnesota’s NCAA Tournament path comes into focus after the 4-0 loss
Saturday’s loss carried a clear “why now” consequence beyond the score line: Minnesota bowed out of the WCHA Final Faceoff in the semifinal round for the first time since the 2023-24 season, and the team’s attention shifts immediately to the NCAA Tournament announcement on Sunday morning.
That move to the national tournament comes with Minnesota’s record set at 26-11-1. The Gophers’ most recent shutout prior to Saturday was Feb. 27, 2026, against St. Cloud State in Game 1 of the opening round of the WCHA Playoffs.
The next confirmed milestone is the NCAA Women’s Hockey Selection Show on Sunday, March 8 at 10: 30 a. m. CT (11: 30 a. m. ET). If Minnesota’s matchup is revealed at that time, the Gophers will then have their opponent and bracket position for NCAA Tournament play.
