Both the Buckeyes and Spartans came into tonight's game seeking redemption for lackluster performances last week. Michigan State definitely achieved its goal, taking a 4-1 victory. Though the team did not prevail on the scoreboard it could be argued that Ohio State earned a small measure of redemption as well.
| goals by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
One week after Michigan ran roughshod over the Bucks’ blueline, the Scarlet and Gray turned in a gritty, determined defensive effort against MSU. The Wolverines took up residency in prime scoring areas without much resistance. Tonight, in those same areas, the Spartans found Buckeye sticks and bodies. Craig Dalrymple in particular had an impressive opening period, disrupting several attacks by Ohio State nemesis Matt Berry.
The battle for the net front was hotly contested at both ends of the ice. While the Bucks’ renewed defensive efforts were unexpected, Michigan State’s layers of protection and solid goaltending were not. OSU had a tough time battling through the Spartan defense, but the Bucks were able to get a handful of chances on Jake Hildebrand.
They did beat him once. Nick Oddo hustled into after a dump in and made a beautiful pass out from behind the net. Dave Gust chipped it in easily. Ohio State came close on a couple other occasions, dinging the posts, but wasn’t able to put another puck past Hildebrand.
Berry would eventually strike. In the second period (and free from the efforts of Dalrymple) he collected a Mackenzie MacEachern rebound and tucked it past Buckeye netminder Christian Frey. The Spartans added another goal in the middle frame when Brent Darnell scored off a clean faceoff win. Gust’s goal in the early minutes of the final period cut Michigan State’s lead in half, but a Spartan power play tally and an insurance marker in the waning moments of the game sealed a win for the home team.
| pd | time | buckeye goal scorer (assists) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2:46 | Dave Gust (Nick Oddo, Nicholas Jones) |
Team stats for this game were fairly close. The Buckeyes held a 34-31 edge in shots on the night. The Spartans had the better of the special teams battle. MSU converted one of its two man-advantage chances while the Bucks were 0 for 4.
Tonight’s game marks Ohio State’s third consecutive loss, but the tenor of this outing was radically different from the previous two. The Buckeyes’ energy level was high from the opening faceoff and continued with little drop off for nearly the entire game. There was an obvious commitment to providing defensive support for Frey tonight and a more dogged pursuit of loose pucks than in recent contests.
The game was not perfect, not by a long shot, but the team-wide effort tonight was better than any I’ve seen yet in the new year. For a team struggling to find enough healthy bodies to man the roster (OSU played the game with a pair of defenseman, Victor Bjorkung and Blake Doerring, skating as forwards due to the recent injury plague), this game was a gigantic step forward from last week’s Michigan debacle.
Michigan State and Ohio State renew hostilities tomorrow night. BTN is scheduled to broadcast the game.
