No. 9/8 Buckeyes Fall in OT at No. 5 Notre Dame, 3-2
Ohio State now 6-2-1 this season, 2-1-0-0 in the Big Ten
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Ohio State men’s hockey team dropped the series opener at No. 5 Notre Dame, 3-2 in overtime, Friday in Compton Family Ice Arena. The No. 9/8 Buckeyes are now 6-2-1 overall and 2-1-0-0 in Big Ten play this year, while the No. 5 Irish stay undefeated (6-0-1, 2-0-1-0 B1G).
The teams will close the weekend series at 7 p.m. Saturday in Notre Dame. The game will be streamed by NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app and available on Ohio State radio.
The Short Story – Notre Dame 3, Ohio State 2 OT
Ohio State led 1-0 after the first period on a Tanner Laczynski goal but the Irish scored in the second for a tie game after 40 minutes. In the third, Carson Meyer gave the Buckeyes the lead at 16:43, but Notre Dame answered at 18:03. In overtime, Pierce Crawford scored at 3:59 for the Irish win. Buckeye goalie Tommy Nappier had 32 saves, as Ohio State was outshot, 35-27. Each team was scoreless on four power play chances.
Notre Dame 3, Ohio State 2 OT
In the First … The first goal came in the final minute of the period. Grant Gabriele’s shot from the point was deflected by Tanner Laczynski in the faceoff circle at 19:33. Collin Peters had the second assist, his first point of the season. A major penalty was called on an Irish player at 19:41 for a Buckeye power play. Shots were 8-5 in favor of Ohio State in the period.
In the Second … Notre Dame tied the game at one 8:12 into the period on Solag Bakich’s tally. Tommy Nappier had 17 saves on 18 Irish shots in the period, with the Buckeyes putting nine on net (including five on the power play). The Irish had two power play chances in the stanza.
In the Third … Ohio State pushed ahead at 16:43. Gordi Myer sent Austin Pooley into the Irish zone. His pass found Carson Meyer in the high slot for his third goal of the year. Less than two minutes later Trevor Janicke tied the game at two, scoring at 18:03. Ohio State had the edge in shots, 10-8, and the lone power play in the period.
In Overtime … The Irish had the only four shots on goal in overtime. At 3:59 Pierce Crawford got behind the Buckeye defense and scored for the Notre Dame win.
Shots … Ohio State was outshot, 35-27, in the game. Tommy Nappier had 32 saves for the Buckeyes in 63:59. Cale Morris had 25 saves in 63:59 for the Irish. The Buckeyes blocked 13 shots, led by Myer, Tate Singleton and Gabriele with two each.
Special Teams … Each team was 0-for-4 with the man advantage in the game.
Buckeye This and That … The loss ended the Buckeyes’ four-game winning streak … the game was the first time this season Nappier and the Buckeyes allowed more than two goals in a game … Nappier has a 1.76 goals-against average and .936 save percentage on the year … Ohio State is allowing 1.78 goals a game … Laczynski leads the Buckeyes with 10 points this year … the loss was the Buckeyes’ first in overtime since falling to the Irish in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament championship game.