Of course, the one prediction I make correctly this weekend is a Buckeye loss. Once again, the upperclassmen cost the Buckeyes a game. Genuinely, I think that this is a really good team. But it's getting shaky at all the wrong times.
Denver did what Denver does. Wolf the Dentist gets a shout-out for providing play-by-play updates and analysis today, but Denver's ball movement and shooting were top notch. As they always are. And if an opponent is as effective or efficient on offense, there will be trouble. See: the Buckeyes.
Offensively, Denver did about what you would expect. Shooting was better at 31.8%, but just barely. Letting them get 44 shots off was killer for Ohio State. Denver is a team that thrives off the off-ball game. And Ohio State's poor rotation discipline cost them.
Jack Hannah got a hat-trick on 33% shooting (nearly double his season percentage), but it was junior Richie Connell that put the Buckeyes down. Connell scored 4 goals, after scoring 3 all year coming into the game. And he did it on 6 shots. That's just rough.
On defense, Denver accomplished the formula for beating this Ohio State team. Keep faceoffs to 50-50 (or below, as they did today), and stop Jack Myers. Myers had 1 goal and 1 assist today. The assist gives him a multi-point game, but it's essentially the same as the Cornell game.
The other pieces for Ohio State either can't get the job done (Scott White shooting 1 of 8, Johnny Wiseman going ofer again, Colby Smith needing 11 shots to net 3 goals), or they don't get enough opportunities to make the difference (Jason Knox getting only 2 shots, Ari Allen getting 1, Trent DiCicco getting 0 shots).
Myers' default in tough games is to just ride seniors, and the recruiting has been so bad for so many years that the seniors aren't ready for the big time. The freshmen and transfers get pushed out, and they have no opportunity to grow or make impacts.
On faceoffs, Stathakis for Denver was a 5-star FOGO out of high school, so it's not a surprise to see him get the better of Inacio. But if the faceoff crew doesn't right the ship spon, the Buckeyes are looking at yet another year without a tournament appearance. The team HAS to go 3-2 in the Big Ten, plus win a tournament game to sniff an at-large bid.
As this weekend showed, Maryland's taking no prisoners. And they're a juggernaut just steam-rolling their way to a title. The Terps are so well-oiled on the trail, Daniel Maltz, who scored 40 goals last year, is a bit player in this Maryland team. Ohio State hasn't had a 40 goal scorer since 2017. Think about that depth.
In goal, the Buckeyes are back to the drawing board. Johnson had a .367 save percentage today. Even with transition being a problem, you need better from your keeper. This program can't wait until 2024 to get the goalies fixed.
Realistically, this team is going to be lucky to get an at-large bid. The wins in conference play are going to be tough. Rutgers plays so, so fast that Ohio State could very easily get overwhelmed in Q2. Maryland is an automatic loss, realistically. Wins over Penn State, Hopkins, and TTUN aren't guaranteed. Really, Rutgers is about as must-win a game as you will see in a conference opener. Hope the guys are ready for it.
Go Bucks.
