Frosh Goals Power Defeat of Spartans

Ohio State coach Steve Rohlik mixed his lines up for Saturday’s rematch with Michigan State. Though the changes didn’t trigger an offensive onslaught, they did inject a measure of energy. Saturday’s game was another low-scoring battle but this time the home team came out on top.

The Buckeyes began with more life than they did in Friday’s contest. That life was slowly, systematically smothered by Michigan State. Quality scoring chances were difficult to come by. Neither side gained an advantage in the first period.

Ohio State finally set up inside the Spartan defense early in the second period. The Buckeyes put a player on the doorstep of Jake Hildebrand. When the goalie kicked out a rebound, Miguel Fidler was in perfect position to wing it into the net.

While the goal gave the Bucks the lead, it didn’t exactly ignite a fiery tornado of scoring chances. The game settled back into a slow slog which profited neither side. The goaltenders went untested for an extended stretch.

At the midpoint of the second, Michigan State went on the power play. Ohio State went to work. Not only did the penalty kill unit take care of business shorthanded, it sparked the Buckeye offense.

The renewed assault forced an offensive zone faceoff for OSU. The Bucks won it. Dave Gust threw a shot on net from along the wall. Hildebrand got a piece of it and the puck popped into the slot. For the second time, there was a Buckeye waiting.

Mason Jobst channeled his inner Babe Ruth and swatted a home run out of mid-air. The play was reviewed (I assume to see whether Jobst kept his stick below the crossbar) and deemed a good goal. With the assist on the play, Gust stretched his points streak to 13 games.

The Spartans narrowed the gap in the final seconds of the frame. As the Ohio State defense collapsed back toward Christian Frey, MSU’s Michael Ferrantino used the open ice to send a long cross-ice pass to Mackenzie MacEachern. Frey couldn’t get across the crease in time to stop the shot. It was the only goal the junior netminder would surrender in the contest.

Ohio State was not content to sit on its one-goal lead. The Bucks sought a third tally throughout the third period. Good work by Hildebrand preserved the 2-1 score. Michigan State attempted to rally with the extra attacker on late, but Frey and solid defensive support thwarted the Spartans.

OSU is headed for a bye next. The Buckeyes return to action the following week when they host No. 20 Minnesota. Currently suspended defenseman Josh Healey will be eligible for that series.

Other Big Ten results: Bemidji State scored three times in the game’s last nine minutes to defeat Minnesota 4-2. The third period was also the deciding factor in Michigan’s 6-3 win over Penn State. The Wolverines potted four in the final frame.

Late Goal by Duluth Sinks Buckeye Women

Minnesota-Duluth got off to a quick start in its series finale against the Ohio State women on Saturday. Back-to-back goals by Morgan Morse and Katherine McGovern gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage less than five minutes into the tilt. The Buckeyes battled back and before the end of the period they cut the lead to one.

With 30 seconds left on the clock Claudia Kepler tickled the twine behind UMD goalie Kayla Black. The Bucks kept the offensive mojo going in the middle frame. Julia McKinnon knotted the game at two-all with her third goal in as many games. A minute and a half later, Kendall Curtis put Ohio State on top with assists from McKinnon and Dani Sadek.

Duluth would get the equalizer at the 15:09 mark as the Bulldogs’ leading scorer Ashleigh Brykaliuk beat OSU goalie Alex LaMere. For much of the third period, the teams fought to a stalemate. Late in the game UMD went to the power play. Though the Buckeyes successfully killed it off, the Bulldogs rode the momentum to a game winning goal with just under two minutes to play.

LaMere stopped a career high 41 shots in the loss. Both sides went oh-for on their power play chances. Ohio State now returns home for a clash with No. 2 Wisconsin.