I called for all O, no D, but the Buckeyes broke out the zone in the second half to stifle their rivals just enough to make the game a Scarlet and Gray victory! It was really touch and go at the end, but for this week, Ohio State can say they're the victors. For a few days.
This win was essentially just to keep postseason hopes alive, as no matter the result tonight, these two teams were going to start off tournament play against each other. Next Saturday, they'll lace them up and do it all again.
Today, though, Jack Myers showed how vital he is to Ohio State's success. If this is the last year we will see him in a Buckeye uniform, it's going to be memorable. That's for sure. With 3 goals and 5 assists, Myers was a one man wrecking crew. Myers was all over the field, running the offense, setting picks, doing everything it took to win.
Jackson Reid added 5 goals and 1 assist, making his own mark on the season as he and Jack Myers connected for goals all day long. It's almost automatic. And a joy for Buckeye fans to watch.
Skylar Wahlund also deserves all the kudos. Wahlund stood on his head, made crazy saves, and kept Ohio State from an embarrassing collapse by stuffing Josh Zawada in the closing minutes beautifully. It was a standout performance again from the senior keeper.
Defensively, Bobby Van Buren was noticeably dominant, turning back Wolverine dodgers all night long. Tyler Gallagher had some bright spots as well. A motivated, dangerous Wolverine attack unit shined, but didn't break the dam. Unfortunately, there's another week to get it right.
Faceoffs were key today. Ohio State was 16-29, but won most of the third quarter draws to safely put the game out of reach. If this gets below 50% on Saturday, however, the game will look a lot different. The Maize and Blue are dangerous on offense, and the Buckeyes are just not quite there defensively.
It was a dramatic game, the Buckeyes looked pretty good offensively, but will need to really turn the screws on defense this week in order to avoid crashing out of both tournaments. Once more, it will be everything to play for.
Go Bucks!
