No. 16 Buckeyes Complete Sweep of Bentley with 3-1 Win
Ohio State improves to 6-1-1 on the year
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 16 Ohio State men’s hockey team completed a sweep of Bentley with a 3-1 victory Friday in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes, with their third sweep of the season, improve to 6-1-1 on the year. Ohio State won 9-2 Thursday in the series opener.
After a scoreless first stanza Ohio State notched the only goal of the second period, with Stephen Halliday converting on the power play. Bentley tied the game early in the third but Patrick Guzzo put the Buckeyes back ahead less than four minutes later and Kamil Sadlocha added an insurance goal. Jakub Dobes made 34 saves for the Buckeyes and the penalty kill was 4-for-4, including stopping a major chance for the Falcons in the third period.
Quoting Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik
“We knew we were going to be in a one-goal game. They’re a good hockey team. They worked right to the end last night. … We were fortunate tonight. They tied it up in the third, but credit to our guys to stick with it.”
Up Next
Ohio State returns to Big Ten action with two games vs. No. 1 Minnesota in Columbus next weekend. The teams will meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday (BTN) and 5 p.m. Saturday (B1G+).
Season, single-game and group tickets and mini plans are all on sale now, with more information HERE. Parking is free for all home games in VCA.
How it Happened
• The teams combined for 27 shots – 14 for Ohio State, 13 for Bentley – in the first period, but no goals. Bentley had two power play chances and the Buckeyes had one, with a second carrying into the middle period.
• Ohio State took advantage of the carryover man advantage, as freshman Stephen Halliday scored in the faceoff circle off a pass from Jake Wise just 41 seconds into the second period. Michael Gildon also assisted on the goal, Halliday’s second of the season.
• The Buckeyes outshot Bentley 10-8 in the period, but neither team was able to find the back of the net the rest of the way.
• In the third, Bentley’s Dylan Pitera tied the game at 2:14, tallying from the high slot.
• Less than four minutes later Patrick Guzzo put the Buckeyes back ahead. Mason Lohrei got to the puck high in the Falcon zone as they were trying to clear. He passed to Matt Cassidy down low and he found Guzzo at the far post for a one-timer and 2-1 Ohio State lead at 5:48.
• Kamil Sadlocha added an insurance goal at 17:49, converting a breakaway for his team-best fifth goal of the season. Cam Thiesing and Travis Treloar had the helpers on the tally, clearing the puck up and out of the Ohio State zone.
• The Buckeye penalty kill stood strong in the third, stopping Bentley on a major power play (that ended up being 3:53 because of a Falcon penalty) while protecting the one-goal lead. Jakub Dobes made six saves on the penalty kill.
• Each team had 14 shots on goal in the third. Bentley skated with the net empty for nearly the final two minutes.
• The Buckeyes scored once on five power play chances in the game and were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
• Oho State ended the game outshooting Bentley, 38-35. Dobes played all 60 minutes for Ohio State and had 34 stops. Lohrei and Cole McWard led the Buckeyes with three shot blocks each and Scooter Brickey had two.
Buckeye This and That
• The Buckeyes are 27-for-28 (.964) on the penalty kill this season. The squad is 8-for-38 (.211) on the power play.
• Halliday leads the Buckeyes with seven assists and nine points.
• Sadlocha was first for Ohio State with five points in the series, on three goals and two assists. He has a team-best five goals and is tied with Wise (4g, 4a) for second with eight points.
• Wise (2g, 2a) and Halliday (1g, 3a) had four points each in the sweep of Bentley.
• Dobes is 6-1-1 this year, with a 1.80 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.