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Ohio State blows out Indiana, 38-15. Now, it's time to do the same to That Team Up North.
The Ohio State men's hockey team found itself in a familiar situation Friday night.
Just as they did in their last outing, the Buckeyes saw multiple leads erased. This time the Scarlet and Gray needed a miracle to force overtime against No. 6 Michigan. Fortunately for the home team, Anthony Greco had some magic left in the tank.
| scoring by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | final | sO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 MICHIGAN | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| OHIO STATE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
Michigan controlled play off the opening faceoff and tested Matt Tomkins (starting in place of the injured Christian Frey) early. However the junior netminder stood tall. He was assisted in his endeavors by the Buckeye defenders who did an excellent job of dirtying up the Wolverines' shots.
Dogged defense and relentless physicality from the Buckeyes eventually turned the tide. The Bucks began to make some forays into Michigan's end. Nine minutes into the game, Ohio State set up in the offensive zone for the first time.
A seething mass of humanity converged on Wolverine goalie Steve Racine. He was jostled around by Mason Jobst and overcommitted on his recovery. Sasha Larocque took full advantage of the out-of-position netminder, loosing a point shot that was (apparently) deflected in by Jobst. Racine protested the contact prior to the goal but the officials deemed it within the bounds of the law.
Ohio State continued to press the Wolverine defense and encroach on Racine's personal space. The Buckeyes finished the period strong. Following the intermission they picked up right where they left off.
| pd | time | buckeye goal scorer (assists) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:12 | Mason Jobst (Sasha Larocque, Drew Brevig) |
| 2 | 1:45 | SH - Anthony Greco (Sasha Larocque) |
| 2 | 6:17 | PP - John Wiitala (Mason Jobst, Josh Healey) |
| 3 | 6:54 | Dave Gust (Mason Jobst, John Wiitala) |
| 3 | 19:53 | EA - Anthony Greco (Nick Schilkey, Mason Jobst) |
The Bucks started the middle frame shorthanded but that didn’t stop them from increasing their lead. Larocque forced a turnover just inside the Michigan blueline. He moved the puck quickly to Anthony Greco. The Buckeye captain was off to the races. He beat Racine, notching his ninth goal of the season.
Ohio State’s special teams cashed in again a few minutes later. This time it was the power play unit lighting the lamp. Mason Jobst feathered a pass through two Wolverine defenders to John Wiitala. The rookie ripped it past Racine for a 3-0 Buckeye lead.
After building up a sizable advantage, OSU strayed from its game a bit. Michigan began to ramp up its offense and the trouble started for the Bucks. Over the final two periods the Wolverines would outshoot Ohio State 32-11. At the 14:11 mark of the second period the visitors began their rally.
Larocque and Drew Brevig got crossed up defensively. This allowed Tyler Motte a little breathing room which was all the space he’d need to put the first dent in Tomkins. Less than 30 seconds later Alex Kile turned a Buckeye turnover into a Wolverine goal, sneaking the puck under Tomkins’ right arm.
The Bucks made it to the second intermission without any further damage, but Michigan would not be denied for long. In the third period Tomkins had what can only be described as a spectacular brain fart, leaving the goal wide open with the Wolverines driving the net. Josh Healey took the puck carrier out of the play but was penalized. On the ensuing power play Kyle Connor scored from a sharp angle to tie the game.
“We gave them a few gifts, but that’s Michigan, they’re going to capitalize on mistakes. I think our guys gained some more confidence and understand if we play the right way we can compete with anybody.”– OSU Coach Steve Rohlik
Dave Gust put OSU back on top, sniping a top shelf tally. Michigan responded with a J.T. Compher goal banked in off Tomkins from below the goal line. The Wolverines forged ahead when a Boo Nieves pass took a fortunate bounce off Buckeye defenseman Craig Dalrymple’s skate.
Michigan kept Ohio State hemmed in its own end in the final minutes of the game, even though the Buckeyes had the extra attacker on. The home team caught a big break with eight seconds remaining. The Wolverines goofed and iced the puck.
With one final offensive zone faceoff looming coach Steve Rohlik furiously diagrammed a play. The Bucks won the puck. Greco cruised cleanly up the slot and beat Racine for the second time, sending the game to overtime.
Neither side prevailed in the extra session. It took nine rounds to decide a shootout winner. In the end Ohio State came away with the bonus point. Matt Weis, Dave Gust, and Dakota Joshua converted their tries. Tomkins stopped seven of the Wolverines’ nine shooters.
The teams have a day to enjoy (or stew on) this result. Ohio State and Michigan renew hostilities on Sunday at 5pm as the Wolverines host the series finale. The game is set to air live on FS Detroit and SportsTime Ohio.
Notes
- For the third time this season the Buckeye women dropped a decision to the St. Cloud State Huskies. Julia McKinnon scored the lone goal for the Bucks as Ohio State fell by a final score of 2-1.
- Other Big Ten results: No. 14/15 Penn State defeated Wisconsin 4-3 in overtime.
