By John Fineran
WHO: Ohio State Buckeyes (7-12-1 overall, 3-7-0 Big Ten for 9 points) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-17-1 overall, 0-12-0 Big Ten for 1 point).
WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m.
WHERE: Charles W. “Lefty” Smith Rink at the Compton Family Ice Arena (4,852), South Bend, Ind.
RADIO: WSBT-AM (960), WSBT-FM (96.1) or WYRX-FM (94.3) and UND.com (Tyler Reidy).
TV/STREAMING: Peacock (Tony Simeone and Steve Konroyd).
TICKETS: A few remaining … The first 1,000 fans arriving for Friday’s game will receive “Hockey Night in South Bend” glasses courtesy of Jordan Lexus of Mishawaka. … On Saturday following the game, the Irish team will be available for autographs after the game.
LINE CHARTS: fightingirish.com/HKYLineCharts
COACHES: Ohio State, Steve Rohlik (Wisconsin 1990), 228-189-46 in 13th season at Ohio State and overall. … Notre Dame, Brock Sheahan (Notre Dame 2008), 4-17-1 in first season at Notre Dame and overall.
RANKINGS: Neither team is receiving votes in either the USCHO.com media poll or USA Hockey/The Rink Live coaches poll.
PREVIEW: Notre Dame hopes to use a little home cooking starting this weekend to break out of a long slump in first-year head coach Brock Sheahan’s first season behind the Irish bench.
After being swept last weekend at No. 8 Penn State by scores of 4-1 and 6-3, Notre Dame has lost nine straight games since its 5-4 come-from-behind victory at Merrimack on Thanksgiving Eve. Notre Dame then lost 5-3 at Boston College and has since been swept by Division I powerhouses Wisconsin, Western Michigan, Michigan and Penn State. Prior to the victory at Merrimack, Notre Dame was swept by Michigan, Minnesota and Michigan State. In short, the Irish have lost 15 of its last 16 games.
They hope to end the skid this weekend against Big Ten rival Ohio State, which swept the Irish with four victories last season. That came after a 2023-24 season during which the Irish won three of four, including both games in South Bend.
Coach Steve Rohlik’s Buckeyes have been struggling this season and were idle last weekend following their home split with No. 2 Michigan State which included a 2-1 victory on Jan. 10.
This is the first of two series between the two teams – the Irish and Buckeyes conclude the Big Ten regular season March 5-6 at Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus
RIVALRY: Notre Dame and Ohio State will be meeting for the 107th and 108th times with the series, which started on March 1, 1969 with a 7-1 Irish victory in Columbus, even at 47-47 with 12 ties. … In games played in South Bend, Notre Dame leads 25-20-5. … The Buckeyes are currently on a four-game winning streak, winning 2-1 (OT) on Dec. 13, 2024 and 3-1 the following night in Columbus and then sweeping the Irish with a pair of 5-1 victories Feb. 7 and 8, 2025 in South Bend
RECAPS: Ohio State was off last week after splitting Big Ten Conference homes games with No. 2 Michigan State, losing 6-2 on Jan. 9 before winning 2-1 on Jan. 10. … Notre Dame is coming off 4-1 and 6-3 setbacks at Big Ten rival Penn State last Friday and Saturday.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES: Ohio State’s record is deceiving as the Buckeyes have played in nine one-goal games with a 2-7 mark in those games, including 1-4-1 in the six games decided in overtime. … Freshman goaltender Sam Hillebrandt (3.69 goals-against average, .890 saves percentage, 1-3-0 record) earned Big Ten Third Star of the Week honors for his efforts in the split with Michigan State on Jan. 9-10. …After replacing 6-foot-4 junior Kristoffer Eberly (3.16 goals-against average, .889 saves percentage, 6-9-1 record, 1 shutout) at the start of the second period, the 6-foot-1 Hillebrandt played the next five periods, surrendering three goals (1.81 goals-against average) and making 40 saves (.930 saves percentage) against the Spartans, 26 in the Saturday victory. … Freshman center Jake Karabela (4-13-17) leads the Buckeyes in scoring followed by senior right wing Davis Burnside (8-8-16), sophomore left wing Felix Caron (7-9-16), junior left wing Max Montes (8-5-13), graduate right wing Adam Eisele (8-4-12), junior center Ryan Gordon (1-11-12), junior center Riley Thompson (6-5-11) and junior defenseman Broten Sabo (1-9-10). … Caron and Thompson lead the team with four power-play goals each, one more than Burnside. … Junior defenseman William Smith leads team with 27 blocks, two more than Gordon. … Montes leads the team in faceoff-win percentage at .595 (184-125) ahead of Thompson’s .527 (168-151), Karabela’s .513 (135-128) and Gordon’s .510 (134-129). … NCAA statistics (through Jan. 19 games): Scoring offense, 2.95 goals per game (35th); scoring defense, 3.45 goals per game (51st); scoring margin, -0.50 goals per game (46th); power-play percentage, 0.229 (16 of 70) (15th); penalty-kill percentage, 0.792 (61 of 77) (41st); faceoff win percentage, 0.540 (684-582) (6th); penalty minutes per game, 12.10 (15th); blocked shots, 245 (49th); shots per game, 32.25 (15th); opponent shots per game, 29.95 (32nd).
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH: Notre Dame is the only Division I conference team which does not have a conference victory (0-12-0) although the point the Irish earned came in their 2-1 overtime loss to Michigan in South Bend on Nov. 1. … In the 14 games since, Notre Dame has one victory (over Merrimack) and a pair of two-goal losses (3-1 to Michigan State Nov. 15; 5-3 at Boston College Nov. 28). … Graduate center Sutter Muzzatti (8-9-17) leads Irish in scoring followed by junior right wing Evan Werner (9-7-16) and junior defenseman Paul Fischer (5-11-16). … Then comes junior forward Cole Knuble (4-11-15), junior center and co-captain Danny Nelson (7-7-14), freshman left wing Cole Brown (3-8-11), junior left wing Brennan Ali (5-5-10), freshman center Pano Fimis (2-8-10) and senior defenseman Axel Kumlin (2-7-9). … Sophomore goaltender Nicholas Kempf (3.84 goals-against average, .888 saves percentage) has compiled a 4-15-1 record with one shutout in 20 games. … Danny Nelson leads team with five power-play goals while Muzzatti, Werner and Fischer each have two. … Sophomore defenseman Jimmy Jurcev leads team with 30 blocks followed by junior defensemen Fischer (25) and Henry Nelson (23). … Fimis leads team in faceoff-win percentage at .615 (161-101) followed by junior centers Jayden Davis’s .545 (66-55), Danny Nelson’s .515 (202-190) and Muzzatti’s .490 (170-177). … NCAA statistics (through Jan. 19 games): Scoring offense, 2.50 goals per game (48th); scoring defense, 4.32 goals per game (62nd); scoring margin, -1.82 goals per game (59th); power-play percentage, 0.246 (16 of 65) (7th); penalty-kill percentage, 0.803 (61 of 76) (33rd); faceoff win percentage, 0.520 (701-646) (18th); penalty minutes per game, 18.64 (1st); blocked shots, 244 (50th); shots per game, 31.00 (22nd); opponent shots per game, 34.59 (57th).
NEXT UP: Ohio State returns home Jan. 30 and 31 for a Big Ten Conference series with No. 1 Michigan. … Notre Dame plays a pair of 7 p.m. non-conference games with Bowling Green, hosting the Falcons Friday and visiting them on Saturday.
BIG TEN STANDINGS AND SCHEDULE
(Numbers in parentheses are school’s rankings in this week’s USCHO.com media/USA Hockey-The Rink Live coaches polls):
Conference Overall
GP Pts W-L-T-SW-OW-OL GF-GA W-L-T GF-GA
(1/1) Michigan 14 31 11-3-0-0-2-0 61-34 20-4-0 116-50
(8/8) Penn State 12 25 8-4-0-0-0-1 35-31 16-6-0 76-56
(2/2) Michigan St. 12 24 8-4-0-0-1-1 37-22 17-5-0 78-39
(5/5) Wisconsin 12 22 8-4-0-0-2-0 53-39 15-5-2 87-56
(nr/nr) Minnesota 12 14 4-8-0-0-0-2 29-39 8-14-1 63-79
(nr/nr) Ohio State 10 9 3-7-0-0-1-1 31-45 7-12-1 59-69
(nr/nr) Notre Dame 12 1 0-12-0-0-0-1 23-59 4-17-1 55-95
Friday, Jan. 23
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 7 p.m. (Peacock)
Minnesota at Michigan State, 7 p.m. (B1G+)
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m. (B1G+)
Saturday, Jan. 24
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 5 p.m. (Peacock)
Minnesota at Michigan State, 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
UPCOMING
Friday, Jan. 30
Bowling Green at Notre Dame 7 p.m. (Peacock)
Michigan State at Penn State, 6 p.m.
Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 31
Notre Dame at Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
Michigan State at Penn State, 1 p.m. (Beaver Stadium)
Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6
Notre Dame at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Michigan State at Michigan, 7 p.m.
Ohio State at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7
Notre Dame at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Michigan State vs. Michigan at Detroit (Little Caesars Arena), 6:30 p.m.
Ohio State at Minnesota, 9 p.m.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Sunday, Jan. 18
Hockey East Association
Northeastern 5, New Hampshire 2
Monday, Jan. 19
ECAC
Harvard 4, Union 0
Thursday, Jan. 22
Hockey East Association
Northeastern at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23
Big Ten Conference
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Connecticut Ice Tournament (at New Haven, Conn.)
Quinnipiac vs. Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.
Connecticut at Yale, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius at Mercyhurst, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
RIT at Niagara, 7:05 p.m.
CCHA
St. Thomas at Lake Superior State, 7:07 p.m.
Michigan Tech at Northern Michigan, 7:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Bemidji State, 8:07 p.m.
ECAC
St. Lawrence at Clarkson, 7 p.m.
Harvard at Colgate, 7 p.m.
Dartmouth at Cornell, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Northeastern at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Boston University at Providence, 7 p.m.
Massachusetts at Vermont, 7 p.m.
New Hampshire at Boston College, 7 p.m.
Maine at UMass Lowell, 7:15 p.m.
NCHC
Western Michigan at Minnesota Duluth, 8 p.m.
Colorado College at Omaha, 8 p.m.
St. Cloud State at Denver, 9 p.m.
North Dakota at Arizona State, 9 p.m.
Non-conference
Princeton at Bentley, 7 p.m.
Long Island at Alaska Anchorage, 7 p.m.
Lindenwood at Alaska, 11:07 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24
Big Ten Conference
Ohio State at Notre Dame, 5 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan State, 6 p.m.
Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m.
Connecticut Ice Tournament (at New Haven, Conn.)
Consolation: Connecticut/Yale loser vs. Quinnipiac/Sacred Heart loser, 4 p.m.
Championship: Connecticut/Yale winner vs. Connecticut/Sacred Heart winner, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic Hockey America
Canisius at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Niagara at RIT, 5:05 p.m.
Holy Cross at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
CCHA
St. Thomas at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota State, 7:07 p.m.
Bowling Green at Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.
ECAC
Dartmouth at Colgate, 7 p.m.
Harvard at Cornell, 7 p.m.
Clarkson at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
Hockey East Association
Maine at UMass Lowell, 6:05 p.m.
Providence at Boston University, 7 p.m.
Boston College at New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
Massachusetts at Vermont, 7 p.m.
NCHC
North Dakota at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
Western Michigan at Minnesota Duluth, 7 p.m.
St. Cloud State at Denver, 8 p.m.
Colorado College at Omaha, 8 p.m.
Non-conference
RPI at Union, 6 p.m.
Brown at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Princeton at Bentley, 7 p.m.
Royal Military at Army, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Long Island at Alaska Anchorage, 9 p.m.
Lindenwood at Alaska Fairbanks, 9:37 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Non-conference
Long Island at Alaska Anchorage, 11 p.m.
UPCOMING SCHEDULES FOR USCHO.COM TOP 20 TEAMS AND OTHERS
1. Michigan (Big Ten) (20-4-0) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 30 at Ohio State; Jan. 31 at Ohio State.
2. Michigan State (Big Ten) (17-5-0) vs. Minnesota Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Minnesota; Jan. 30 at No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 31 at No. 8 Penn State (Beaver Stadium).
3. Western Michigan (NCHC) (16-6-0) at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 30 vs. Omaha; Jan. 31 vs. Omaha.
4. North Dakota (NCHC) (18-6-0) at Arizona State Friday. Next: Saturday at Arizona State; Feb. 6 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Feb. 7 at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
5. Wisconsin (Big Ten) (15-5-2) vs. No. 8 Penn State Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 8 Penn State; Jan. 30 at Minnesota; Jan. 31 at Minnesota.
6. Quinnipiac (ECAC) (18-4-2) vs. Sacred Heart Friday in CT Ice Tournament at Yale. Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 Connecticut or Yale in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Jan. 30 at St. Lawrence; Jan. 31 at Clarkson.
7. Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) (17-7-0) vs. No. 3 Western Michigan Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 3 Western Michigan; Jan. 30 at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 31 at No. 9 Denver.
8. Penn State (Big Ten) (16-6-0) at No. 5 Wisconsin Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 5 Wisconsin; Jan. 30 vs. No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 31 vs. No. 2 Michigan State (Beaver Stadium).
9. Denver (NCHC) (13-10-2) vs. St. Cloud State Friday. Next: Saturday vs. St. Cloud State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth; Jan. 31 vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth.
10. Dartmouth (ECAC) (14-4-1) at No. 12 Cornell Friday. Next: Saturday at Colgate; Jan. 30 vs. Union; Jan. 31 vs. RPI.
11. Providence (Hockey East) (13-7-2) vs. No. 18 Boston University Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 18 Boston University; Jan. 31 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 6 at New Hampshire; Feb. 7 vs. Vermont.
12. Cornell (ECAC) (12-5-0) vs. No. 10 Dartmouth Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Harvard; Jan. 30 at Yale; Jan. 31 at Brown.
13. Connecticut (Hockey East) (13-7-3) at Yale Friday in CT Ice Tournament. Next: Saturday vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac or Sacred Heart in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Feb. 6 at Northeastern; Feb. 13 at No. 17 Maine; Feb. 14 at No. 17 Maine.
14. Augustana (CCHA) (16-6-3) at No. 20 Minnesota State Saturday. Next: Jan., 30 vs. Lake Superior State; Jan. 31 vs. Lake Superior State; Feb. 6 at No. 19 Michigan Tech; Feb. 7 at No. 19 Michigan Tech.
15. Boston College (Hockey East) (11-8-1) vs. New Hampshire Friday. Next: Saturday at New Hampshire; Jan. 30 at No. 18 Boston University; Feb. 2 vs. Harvard in Beanpot.
16. St. Thomas (CCHA) (14-7-3) at Lake Superior State Friday. Next: Saturday at Lake Superior State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech; Jan. 31 vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech.
17. Maine (Hockey East) (12-9-2) at UMass Lowell Friday. Next: Saturday at UMass Lowell; Jan. 31 vs. No. 11 Providence; Feb. 6 at No. 18 Boston University.
18. Boston University (Hockey East) (12-10-1) at No. 11 Providence Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 11 Providence; Jan. 30 vs. No. 15 Boston College; Feb. 2 vs. Northeastern in Beanpot.
19. Michigan Tech (CCHA) (16-8-2) at Northern Michigan Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Northern Michigan; Jan. 30 at No. 16 St. Thomas; Jan. 31 at No. 16 St. Thomas.
20. Minnesota State (CCHA) (12-8-5) vs. No. 14 Augustana Saturday. Next: Jan. 30 at Ferris State; Jan. 31 at Ferris State; Feb. 13 vs. Bemidji State; Feb. 14 vs. Bemidji State.
Others
Northeastern (Hockey East) (12-9-0) at Merrimack Thursday. Next: Friday at Merrimack; Jan. 30 at Massachusetts; Feb. 2 vs. No. 18 Boston University in Beanpot.
St. Cloud State (NCHC) (12-12-0) at No. 9 Denver Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 9 Denver; Jan. 30 vs. Miami; Jan. 31 vs. Miami.
Union (ECAC) (14-8-2) is idle Friday. Next: Saturday vs. RPI; Jan. 30 at No. 10 Dartmouth; Feb. 6 at St. Lawrence; Feb. 7 at Clarkson.
Arizona State (NCHC) (12-11-1) vs. No. 4 North Dakota Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 North Dakota; Jan. 30 at Colorado College; Jan. 31 at Colorado College.
Miami (NCHC) (14-8-2) is idle this week. Next: Jan. 30 at St. Cloud State; Jan. 31 at St. Cloud State; Feb. 6 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan; Feb. 7 vs. No. 3 Western Michigan.
Massachusetts (Hockey East) (12-10-0) at Vermont Friday. Next: Saturday at Vermont; Jan. 30 vs. Northeastern; Feb. 1 at UMass Lowell.
Bentley (Atlantic Hockey) (12-7-3) vs. Princeton Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Princeton; Jan. 30 at Robert Morris; Jan. 31 at Robert Morris.
Princeton (ECAC) (11-7-0) at Bentley Friday. Next: Saturday at Bentley; Jan. 30 at Clarkson; Jan. 31 at St. Lawrence.
Harvard (ECAC) (10-7-1) at Colgate Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 12 Cornell; Jan. 30 vs. RPI; Feb. 2 vs. No. 15 Boston College in Beanpot.
Colorado College (NCHC) (9-10-3) at Omaha Friday. Next: Saturday at Omaha; Jan. 30 vs. Arizona State; Jan. 31 vs. Arizona State.
Bemidji State (CCHA) (9-12-3) vs. Bowling Green Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 30 at Northern Michigan; Jan. 31 at Northern Michigan.
New Hampshire (Hockey East) (11-10-0) at No. 15 Boston College Friday. Next: Saturday vs. No. 15 Boston College; Jan. 30 at Merrimack; Jan. 31 vs. Merrimack.
RIT (Atlantic Hockey) (13-11-0) at Niagara Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Niagara; Jan. 30 at Mercyhurst; Jan. 31 at Mercyhurst.
Minnesota (Big Ten) (8-14-1) at No. 2 Michigan State Friday. Next: Saturday at No. 2 Michigan State; Jan. 30 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin; Jan. 31 vs. No. 5 Wisconsin.
Ohio State (Big Ten) (7-12-1) at Notre Dame Friday. Next: Saturday at Notre Dame; Jan. 30 vs. No. 1 Michigan; Jan. 31 vs. No. 1 Michigan.
Notre Dame (Big Ten) (4-17-1) vs. Ohio State Friday. Next: Saturday vs. Ohio State; Jan. 30 vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 31 at Bowling Green.
Bowling Green (CCHA) (12-6-4) at Bemidji State Friday. Next: Saturday at Bemidji State; Jan. 30 at Notre Dame; Jan. 31 vs. Notre Dame.
Clarkson (ECAC) (11-12-1) vs. St. Lawrence Friday. Next: Saturday at St. Lawrence; Jan. 30 vs. Princeton; Jan. 31 vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac.
Merrimack (Hockey East) (10-12-0) vs. Northeastern Thursday. Next: Friday vs. Northeastern; Jan. 30 vs. New Hampshire; Jan. 31 at New Hampshire.
Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey) (12-7-3) vs. No. 6 Quinnipiac Friday in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Saturday vs. Yale or No. 13 Connecticut in CT Ice Tournament at Yale; Jan. 30 at Air Force; Jan. 31 at Air Force.
Holy Cross (Atlantic Hockey) (11-9-2) at Robert Morris Friday. Next: Saturday at Robert Morris; Jan. 29 vs. Army; Jan. 30 vs. Army.
Canisius (Atlantic Hockey) (11-9-2) at Mercyhurst Friday. Next: Saturday at Mercyhurst; Jan. 30 vs. Niagara; Jan. 31 at Niagara.
Lindenwood (Independent) (11-11-0) at Alaska Fairbanks Friday. Next: Saturday at Alaska Fairbanks; Feb. 6 at Stonehill; Feb. 7 at Stonehill.