XICHIGAN WEEK
Ohio State blows out Indiana, 38-15. Now, it's time to do the same to That Team Up North.
It was an up and down first half of the season for both Ohio State hockey programs. In the end, though, the good outweighed the bad. Both teams rank among the nation’s top 10 at the break. In case you’re just joining the party, here’s a look back at how we got to this point plus a peek at what awaits the Bucks in the second half of the year.
No. 9 Buckeye Men (10-4-4, 5-4-1-0 B1G)
| Big Ten Standings | W | L | T | SOW | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Notre Dame | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| No. 9 Ohio State | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| No. 15/13 Penn State | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| No. 10 Minnesota | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| No. 13/15 Wisconsin | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| RV Michigan | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Michigan State | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
The first half of the season was filled with ups and downs for Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ unimpressive non-conference schedule brought mixed results. Three times the team skated to 1-1 ties against opponents it should have outclassed.
The roller coaster results continued in Big Ten play. It was feast or famine for the Bucks. They lost an unmemorable set to Notre Dame and fizzled out against Penn State. These poor showings contrasted sharply with outstanding series sweeps of Michigan and Minnesota.
Home ice did not provide the Bucks much of an advantage in the first half. The team went 3-3-3 on its own ice. The road was another matter entirely. OSU went an impressive 7-1-1 in away games.
At the midway mark Ohio State ranks No. 9 in both national polls. The Buckeyes are one of five Big Ten teams ranked in the top 15. They own notable victories over No. 10 Minnesota (twice) and No. 13/15 Wisconsin.
First Half Leaders
Much like the team itself, Tanner Laczynski started slow this season but improved over time and finished the first half as a nationally relevant figure. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick is tied for twelfth in the NCAA in total points (23). He has been a catalyst for the Buckeye offense, often teaming with Matt Weis and Freddy Gerard. In the last eight games the red hot trio has produced 27 points (11g, 13a).
Team captain Mason Jobst leads an improving Ohio State power play. The squad’s overall percentage isn’t stellar, but the Buckeyes are 5-for-22 (22.7%) with the man advantage over their last six games and Jobst is among the most lethal power play scorers in the NCAA. He is tied for ninth in the nation with five PPG through the first half. Jobst and Weis each joined the Century Club this year, potting career points No. 100 against Minnesota.
The big question for the Buckeyes this preseason was how Sean Romeo would fill the net vacated by a flotilla of senior netminders. The answer is “impressively.” The Maine transfer ranks tenth in the nation in goals against (1.93) and sixth in save percentage (.928).
Romeo has been critical to the Buckeyes' success, providing a calm, composed foundation for both the team's fifth ranked defense (2.11) and No. 1 penalty kill (92.8%). Sasha Larocque has also been integral to the team’s defensive prosperity. He heads up the Buckeye blue line with 46 blocked shots on the season. The total is third best in the entire NCAA.
Coming Up in the Second Half
Fast starts are not a strong suit for the Buckeyes, but they would do well to get some wins in early in the second half. They host a non-conference series against Niagara next week. Three of their next four series are against the Michigan teams. Then they close at No. 3 Notre Dame, at No. 10 Minnesota, and against No. 13/15 Wisconsin.
This will be a lot easier if the team can manage to find any kind of consistency to its game. Halfway through the season the Bucks’ on-ice product still varies wildly from week to week. Sweep a top 10 opponent or drop an absolute stinker, the odds are about the same.
I doubt anyone is going to catch Notre Dame at this point. That 14 point gap will be next to impossible to overcome. However, the race for second place in the Big Ten is a heated five way battle between every other B1G team save Michigan State. The Bucks currently head that pack by a slim margin.
There is a lot of hockey yet to play this season. But, if OSU continues to turn in solid team-wide defensive efforts while excelling at special teams I would not be surprised to see the Buckeyes lock up a No. 2 Big Ten finish and another trip to the NCAA tournament.
No. 6/7 Buckeye Women (12-4-4, 8-2-4-3 WCHA)
| WCHA Standings | W | L | T | SOW | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Wisconsin | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| No. 7/6 Minnesota | 10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 32 |
| No. 6/7 Ohio State | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 31 |
| RV Bemidji State | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| Minnesota-Duluth | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| St. Cloud State | 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Minnesota State | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Ohio State’s women blazed through the opening weeks of the season, defeating heavyweight programs like Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth. A sensational rookie class bolstered the Bucks’ returning veterans. Talented transfers made an impact. OSU cruised to a 7-0-1 record in the opening four weeks.
Then the Buckeyes stumbled at Wisconsin. A poor performance against the Badgers resulted in Ohio State’s first two losses of the season. To date these are still the only serious blemishes on the Bucks’ WCHA record.
The Buckeyes went 5-2-3 after the Wisconsin series. They struggled to match their early season consistency, but fought tooth and nail for positive results. (Well, except for that anomalous finale.) Time after time the Scarlet and Gray found a way to drag decent results out of ugly games.
At the break Ohio State can boast notable wins over No. 7/6 Minnesota, No. 9 Robert Morris, and some unranked but tough teams like Bemidji State and Mercyhurst. The Bucks rank No. 6 in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll. They are No. 7 in USCHO’s rankings.
First Half Leaders
Phenomenal freshmen Emma Maltais (8-17--25) and Tatum Skaggs (13-7--20) lead a Buckeye offense that ranks twelfth in the country. Maltais is tied for twelfth in points among all NCAA players. Skaggs shares the tenth spot nationally for total goals scored.
Kassidy Sauve’s stats (2.30/.923) are more modest than usual but the netminder still a huge key to the Bucks’ success. She ranks third in the country in shutouts (5). Other leaders include Maddy Field, who tops the team charts in power play goals (3) and game winners (4), as well as hot hands Jincy Dunne (seven points in the last seven games) and Liz Schepers (eight points in the last nine games).
Coming Up in the Second Half
Fourteen games now remain in Ohio State’s regular season schedule. Ten of those tilts will be played at home where the Buckeyes are undefeated (6-0-2). That record will be put to the test when No. 9 Robert Morris, No. 7/6 Minnesota, and No. 1 Wisconsin visit.
The Bucks need eight more victories to equal the program record for wins (20, 2006-07). That’s an achievable goal. If they do hit the 20 win mark then the Buckeyes should be in contention for a spot in the NCAA tournament (which in the women’s game consists of only eight teams).
Either way Ohio State is on pace for a stellar conference result. It’s unlikely the Bucks will catch the Badgers. However they are still in good position for a program best WCHA finish. They remain locked in a war with Minnesota for second spot with a ten point cushion over Bemidji State.
The women’s hockey Bucks are back on the ice Jan. 5-6 to host a non-conference series against Penn State. Friday’s game will being at 6pm ET. Saturday’s contest is set for a 3pm ET start.
