Hello, hockey fans! We’ve arrived at the holiday break portion of the NCAA season. You know what that means. It’s time for mid season awards! This is the third round of virtual hardware we’ve handed out. This season has offered (by far) the most celebratory moments and individual achievements from which to choose.
The Buckeye men began the first half of the season by toppling No. 2 Denver and ended it with an 8-3 thrashing of No. 10/11 Minnesota. In between those notable victories were a borderline insane number of goals and a lot of non-conference wins. The Bucks are 9-2-4 overall, 1-1-0-0 in the Big Ten. All that winning translates to a spot in the NCAA’s top-10. Ohio State comes in at No. 8 in the USA Today/USA Hockey polls and at No. 9 in USCHO’s rankings.
The road has been a little rougher for the Buckeye women, but they are coming together under new head coach Nadine Muzerall and performing beyond preseason expectations. Ohio State is 8-10-2 overall, 4-10-2-0 in the WCHA. The team boasts a 1-0-1-0 record against No. 10 North Dakota, as well as a tie with No. 1 Wisconsin. Though OSU hasn’t hasn’t been consistent enough to secure a national ranking, the Bucks did receive two votes in the latest USA Today/USA Hockey poll.
So let’s get down to it. As always, if you think I’ve got it wrong make your case in the comments section.
Best Group Performance - Women’s PK vs. Practically Everybody
We might as well start off with the most potentially controversial choice. The Buckeye men posted several high scores in the first half of the season (this one, for example) with many players contributed to those victories. But I’m giving the nod to the women’s penalty killers. They are a perfect 27-for-27 in their last 14 games. Over that stretch Ohio State faced three of the nation’s top 10 teams including No. 2 Minnesota and the Gophers’ top-ranked power play (31.2%)
Most Significant Win - Men vs. Minnesota
You wouldn’t think a group that went 8-1-4 would have anything to prove heading into conference play. However that’s the position the Buckeyes found themselves in after skating through a slate of pedestrian non-conference opponents. They didn’t win over any doubters in their Big Ten opener, dropping a 5-3 decision to the Gophers. They bounced back with a vengeance the following night, though. Ohio State put Minnesota down by an authoritative 8-3 score, getting goals from seven separate players, and making it clear that their early season success was no fluke.
Best Individual Performance - Kassidy Sauve vs. Minnesota
Sauve manned the Buckeye net in 19 games over the course of the first half. Many of her outings were noteworthy but none topped her spectacular effort against the No. 2 Gophers on Oct. 22. The Whitby, Ontario native stopped a career high 55 shots in the battle including 26 and 21 in the first and second periods, respectively. Minnesota needed a third period game winner to escape with a 2-1 victory. Or, if this result doesn't float your boat, give her the award based on her three consecutive shutouts of Lindenwood (twice) and St. Cloud State (once).
Most Exciting Game - Men vs. Connecticut
Ohio State’s Nov. 11 tilt against the Huskies began with a Josh Healey shorthanded goal. Looking back, that was probably a sign that fans were in for an unusual game. Momentum surged back and forth. Eleven different Buckeyes recorded points. The margin was nailbitingly close for much of the third period. Then Dave Gust finished his first career hat trick to lock up a 7-4 OSU win over what has turned out to be a solid Huskies squad.
Most Valuable Player and also Golden Goalie - Kassidy Sauve
To keep this post diverse and interesting I tried to write one of these awards up for another player. However there is simply no way to deny that Sauve was both the biggest difference maker and the best Buckeye between the pipes in the first half of 2016-17.
The redshirt sophomore played monster minutes night in and night out under frequently heavy fire from the country’s best teams. She faced 662 shots in 19 games before the break. No other NCAA goalie (men’s or women’s) has even hit the 600 mark yet. And she still ranks among the top netminders in the nation.
Sauve’s numbers took a bit of a hit in her most recent outing but her 2.01 GAA is still more than respectable. Her .946 save percentage is the third best in the country. And don't forget that back in November Sauve posted three straight shutouts in a total 184:35 stretch of flawless netminding.
You will probably be unsurprised to learn that Sauve is our first repeat award winner. She was also dubbed our Golden Goalie as a freshman in 2014. (The women’s hockey Bucks have a stranglehold on this honor. Alex LaMere was last year’s top netminder.)
Marksmanship Medal - Nick Schilkey
The Buckeye captain came out firing in 2016-17 and never stopped. Schilkey tops the team chart in goals with 13. He’s on a near goal per game pace, having racked that total in just 15 games. The Michigander tallied at least once against every one of OSU’s first half foes except for Robert Morris and Miami.
This is particularly impressive considering the senior was tabbed in the preseason to be Bucks’ biggest offensive threat. He didn’t sneak up on anyone. He’s been one of the top targets for opposing defenses since the get go.
Top Rookie - Tanner Laczynski
It should come as no surprise that Laczynski is Buckeye hockey’s No. 1 freshman. Despite being a rookie, the Philadelphia Flyers’ draft pick is Ohio State’s overall points leader with a 6-16--22 stat line. He’s tied for sixteenth on the national points list and ranks tenth in points per game (1.45).
Laczynski has been a consistent contributor since opening day. Eight of his 15 games have been multi-point affairs. His most prolific outing was also his most recent. He collected a career high four points in the Buckeyes’ previously noted beat down of Minnesota. Small wonder, then, that Team USA is considering him for the World Juniors squad.
Unsung Hero - Dave Gust
On almost any other roster Gust would be the top banana. At Ohio State he commands a much smaller slice of press than players like Laczynski and Schilkey. Gust is tied for third spot on the Buckeye charts in overall points (16). He is tied for fourth in points per game (1.07).
The senior’s 10 goals would pace any one of 40 other college hockey teams yet he ranks second for the Buckeyes behind Schilkey. Gust has contributed points in 11 games this season, including the above-mentioned hat trick vs Connecticut. Additional stick taps to Matt Weis (points in nine of 12 games) and Mason Jobst (points in 10 of his last 12 games).
Best Hair - Freddy Gerard
The most luscious locks in Buckeye hockey this year belong to Freddy Gerard. The pride of Rocky River, Ohio achieves a righteous balance of length and volume. Though the sophomore has not (to my knowledge anyway) spoken publicly about his crinal inspirations, his look has a vintage vibe which feels like a nod to the more spectacularly coiffed eras of hockey.
Gerard skated in seven games in the first half of the season. Six of those games were on the road. Photo ops were limited. However, if you have yet to see the forward's glorious mane you can get the gist in this picture or this one (No. 15 on the far right) from last season.
