Teams end weekend with series split
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11 Ohio State men’s hockey team dropped the series finale to No. 2 Michigan State, 4-1, Friday in Value City Arena.
Michigan State opened the scoring in the second period and the Buckeyes answered less than two minutes later for a tie game, but the Spartans tallied twice before the end of the second for a 3-1 lead. The Spartans added an empty net goal in the third for the 4-1 final.
Ohio State is now 16-8-2 overall, with a 9-6-1 2-2-0 Big Ten ledger. The Spartans are 21-4-3 on the year and have a 12-3-3 2-1-2 B1G mark. The squads end the series with a split and three Big Ten points each after a 4-2 Buckeye victory Friday.
How it Happened
- There were no goals or penalties in a quick-moving first period. Michigan State had seven of the 10 shots on goal in the stanza.
- Tanner Kelly opened the scoring for the Spartans at 2:48 of the second, scoring from the faceoff circle.
- Buckeye freshman James Hong tied the game less than two minutes later, scoring from in close off a pass from Max Montes. Joe Dunlap had the second assist on the tally, which came at 4:36.
- Goals from Isaac Howard at 9:25 on a loose puck in the Buckeye zone and Gavin O’Connell on the rush at 12:27 gave the Spartans a 3-1 lead.
- The teams combined for 23 shots in the period, with MSU ahead, 12-11.
- The Buckeyes pulled their goalie with 3:47 left in the third and Michigan State sealed the win on a goal from Daniel Russell at 17:32.
- In the third, the Buckeyes were outshot, 10-9. Each team had one shortened power play in the third, the only two chances of the game.
- Buckeye goalie Kristoffer Eberly made 25 saves in 58:41 and MSU’s Trey Augustine had 22 stops in all 60 minutes. Shots were 29-23 in favor of Michigan State for the game.
- Ohio State had 19 shot blocks in the contest, led by Brent Johnson with four.
Noting the Buckeyes
- Montes is on a six-game assist and point streaks, with a 1-8-9 line in the stretch. He has nine goals and 10 assists on the year.
- Hong leads the Buckeye freshmen with four goals and 11 points this season.
- Ohio State is 10-2-1 at home this season.
- Johnson is first on the squad with 39 shot blocks.
Up Next
- Ohio State heads to South Bend for two games against Notre Dame Feb. 7-8.
