COLUMBUS, Ohio – Buckeye senior Freddy Gerard scored twice, including the gamewinner in the third period, as the No. 4-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team topped No. 11/13 Notre Dame, 4-2, Friday in Value City Arena. Ohio State, on a four-game winning streak, improves to 16-5-4 on the year and 9-3-3-2 in the Big Ten. The Irish are now 14-9-3 and 7-7-2-2 in league play.
The teams will close the weekend and regular season series at 8 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena. Script Ohio on Ice will be performed during intermission of the Saturday tilt.
Ohio State led 2-0 in the second period, on goals from Freddy Gerard and Austin Pooley, but the Irish scored twice in 34 seconds for a 2-2 game after 40 minutes. In the third, Gerard put the Buckeyes ahead with a power play goal at 7:38 and Brendon Kearney closed out the game with an empty net score in the final second. Buckeye goalie Sean Romeo had 27 saves in the win and the Buckeye penalty kill was 4-for-5. Defenseman Wyatt Ege had two helpers in the victory.
Ohio State 4, Notre Dame 2
In the first … The Buckeyes opened the scoring at 14:57, as Freddy Gerard redirected a shot by Wyatt Ege. Collin Peters had the second assist, his first point as a Buckeye. Ohio State was outshot, 10-9, in the period, and killed two Notre Dame power play chances.
In the second … Ohio State pushed ahead 2-0 at 7:51 of the middle period. Matt Miller passed up to Quinn Preston, who carried into the zone and spun for a pass to Austin Pooley and his shot went top corner. The Irish tied the game with two goals in 34 seconds. Michael Graham scored on the power play at 9:28 and Cam Morrison tallied at 10:02. The Irish had the advantage in shots, 11-6, in the period, and were 1-for-2 on the power play.
In the third … The Buckeyes took the lead on Gerard’s second goal of the night. On the power play, Gordi Myer found Gerard between the circles and he put a shot far side to make it a 3-2 game at 7:38. The Buckeyes took a penalty with 3:04 remaining and were able to kill the power play, including more than a minute of 6×4 with the Irish net empty. With time winding down, Mason Jobst broke up a play and Brendon Kearney picked up the puck, skating up ice and scoring into the empty net in the final second for a 4-2 advantage. Buckeye goalie Sean Romeo stopped all eight Irish shots in the period, including a highlight-reel paddle save with less than three minutes remaining. The Buckeyes were 1-for-2 on the power play in the period, with the Irish 0-for-1.
Shots … The Buckeyes were outshot, 29-26, in the game. Sean Romeo played all 60 minutes and had 27 saves in the Ohio State net. Notre Dame’s Cale Morris had 22 stops in 58:21, allowing three goals. The Buckeyes blocked 14 shots, led by Matt Miller with three and Sasha Larocque, Sam McCormick and Mason Jobst with two each.
Special Teams … The Buckeyes were 1-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill in the win.
Buckeye This and That …Wyatt Ege had his second two-point game in the last four outings … Freddy Gerard had his fourth career two-goal game and his first this season … Matt Miller extended his point streak to four (1g, 5a, 6p) and leads the Buckeye defensemen with 13 points … Mason Jobst is on a four-game point streak (1g, 7a, 8p) and leads the team with 31 point this year … Ohio State is allowing 2.2 goals per game and scoring 3.24 a contest .. the Buckeyes are 27-for-115 (.235) on the power play this season.
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
On recent success
“I think we’ve had a pretty good season and we’ve been more consistent lately. We were a little up and down at the start of the season but I like the consistency and it’s leading to success.”
