Columbus, Ohio — In her last regular-season game of the 2009-10 campaign, Bemidji State women’s hockey goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova (So., Bratislava, Slovakia) left in style shutting out the Ohio State Buckeyes 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the OSU Ice Rink.

The win helps Bemidji State (8-12-6, 7-7-6-3 WCHA) remain in fourth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 23 points, just three points ahead of the fifth-place Buckeyes (12-9-4, 9-8-2-0 WCHA).

“It was a key win, because we beat a team that we’re battling face-to-face with for that fourth place,” said head coach Steve Sertich. “They’re a talented team and to shut them out like that was great.”

The only goal of the game came on the Beaver power play in the third period. Montana Vichorek (So., Moose Lake, Minn.) put a shot on net from the point. The rebound was picked up by Erin Cody (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) who put the puck back on net, but was denied by OSU tender Chelsea Knapp. However, after making the first two saves, Knapp was unable to control the second rebound and Emily Erickson (R-Fr., Coleraine, Minn.) put the third attempt home for her fourth goal of the season.

Ohio State, looking to leap-frog BSU for fourth place, upped the pressure late in the third. Bemidji State had to go on the penalty kill twice in the waning minutes of the game. Unfortunately for Ohio State, Tomcikova made sure her team would walk away with the win.

“She gave us a nice going-away gift today,” Sertich said. “During those two penalties is when she really rose to the occasion, and so did our entire penalty-kill unit.

Tomcikova stopped a total of 38 saves en route to her fifth shutout of the season, 14 of the 38 saves came while on the penalty kil. The Beaver PK unit killed off all seven power-play opportunities the Buckeyes had.

Bemidji State is now 82.7 percent on the penalty kill (96-116) and 14 percent on the power play (15-107).

The Beavers continue their three-weekend roadstand as they travel to St. Cloud next weekend. Game Times are set for 7:07 p.m. Friday and 2:07 p.m. Saturday.

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