No. 11 Buckeyes Clipped by Wolverines, 3-2
Meyer and Gabriele score power play goals for Ohio State
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 11-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team lost to Michigan, 3-2, Friday in Yost Ice Arena. The Buckeyes came from a goal down twice, but Michigan scored with 3:43 left in the third for the win.
The teams will close the regular season series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor. Ohio State is now 15-9-3, with an 8-7-2-0 mark in Big Ten play. The Wolverines move to 11-11-3 and have a 6-7-2-1 conference record.
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
“We started to get our legs at the end of the first. After that, it was an even hockey game and we clawed our way back to a tie game. You have to find a way. Every game is just like this. It’s playoff hockey.”
Ohio State vs. Michigan
In the First … The Wolverines’ Michael Pastujov opened the scoring at 5:24, putting in the rebound of a Jack Becker shot. Michigan had an early goal overturned after video review showed the Wolverines entered the zone offside. Shots were 16-7 in favor of the Wolverines in the period.
In the Second … Ohio State tied the game at 4:33 with a power play goal. Carson Meyer’s pass went off a Wolverine and in for the senior’s 10th goal of the season. Ronnie Hein and Gordi Myer assisted on the PPG. At 18:03 Michigan scored shortly after a faceoff win in the Buckeye zone with the teams skating 4×4 to go ahead 2-1. The squads combined for 27 shots in the period, with Michigan ahead, 14-13. Each team had four penalties in the period, with one set of matching minors.
In the Third … Grant Gabriele, a Michigan native, tied the game at two with a power play goal at 11:02. Gustaf Westlund carried into the Buckeye zone, getting the puck to Matt Miller. He found Gabriele with a cross-ice pass and he scored from the high shot. At 16:17 Michigan went back ahead, with Will Lockwood stuffing the puck in on a wraparound. Ohio State pulled its goal for the extra attacker with 2:02 remaining, but was unable to even the score a third time. Michigan again had the shot advantage, 12-7.
Shots … Ohio State was outshot, 42-27, in the game. Tommy Nappier played 57:52 for the Buckeyes and had 39 saves, allowing three goals. Strauss Mann made 25 saves in 59:52. Ohio State blocked 22 shots. Layton Ahac, Quinn Preston and Westlund led the way with three each.
Special Teams … Ohio State converted 2-of-5 power play chances and the penalty kill was 3-for-3. The squad is 28-for-106 (.264) this year, ranking in the Top 10 nationally.