Buckeye Hockey Notebook – Wisconsin Week
11/12/2018 2:26:05 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Buckeyes Back Home to Host Badgers
The No. 6-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team opens a four-game homestand with a series vs. Wisconsin this weekend. The Buckeyes, 6-3-1 (1-1-0-0 B1G) and Badgers (5-5-0, 1-1-0-0 B1G) will meet at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena in Columbus.
Friday, youth are invited to the ice postgame to take a shot on the Buckeye net. Saturday, Family and Friends packs, which include a ticket, hot dog, bottled water and small popcorn for each member, are available (online only HERE, use code FAMILY). It is Hockey Hour on the concourse pregame, $1 dog night and the full team will be available for a meet and greet postgame.
Buckeyes vs. Badgers
Ohio State is 12-18-3 all-time vs. Wisconsin with an 11-6-3 ledger in Big Ten Conference regular season play against the Badgers. In Columbus, the Badgers have the advantage, 6-5-1.
Last season, Ohio State was 3-1-0 vs. the Badgers. The teams met to open the year in Madison, Wis., splitting a series with each team winning 3-2. The squads also closed out the regular season, with Ohio State sweeping the series in Columbus with 6-2 and 4-0 victories.
In the Rankings
Ohio State moved up one spot to No. 6 in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls this week. The squad has been in the Top 9 in each poll this year.
Joining the Buckeyes in the USCHO Top 10 are Big Ten schools No. 5 Penn State and No. 8 Notre Dame, along with No. 16 Michigan and No. 19 Minnesota . Conference teams Wisconsin and Michigan State are both in the receiving votes category. The first three nonconference opponents for the Buckeyes this season are all ranked. This week, UMass is No. 4, Bowling Green is No. 10 and Arizona State is No. 18.
In the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Top 15 rankings, Ohio State is joined by conference foes Penn State (5) and Notre Dame (8), with Michigan and Minnesota receiving votes. UMass is fourth and Bowling Green is 10th, with the Sun Devils receiving votes.
Last Time Out
Ohio State did not allow a goal in a series sweep at Colgate last weekend.
Friday, Ronnie Hein opened the scoring in the first period and Tanner Laczynski added goals late in the second and third (empty net), while Sean Romeo stopped all 19 shots he faced, for a 3-0 Buckeye win.
Ronnie Hein scored the gamewinner and Tanner Laczynski scored twice as the Buckeyes downed Colgate 3-0. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YG4XdDxHdt
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) November 10, 2018
Saturday, Dakota Joshua broke a scoreless tie midway through the third period and the Buckeyes made the lead stand for a 1-0 win, backstopped by Tommy Nappier’s 24 saves.
Dakota Joshua's third goal of the year – set up by John Wiitala and Brendon Kearney – was the gamewinner in the Buckeye victory at Colgate today.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/3R294cvmCE
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) November 11, 2018
The Buckeye penalty kill was 5-for-5 in the series, including 4-for-4 Saturday. Ohio State outshot the Raiders, 80-43, in the two games combined, including a season-high 44 shots Friday.
Buckeyes win! #sweep
FINAL: No. 7 Ohio State 1, Colgate 0.
Nappier with 24 saves for a second straight Buckeye shutout. Joshua with the gamewinner.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/jMgTsHYcxW
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) November 10, 2018
On the Road
Ohio State just wrapped up a stretch of five consecutive road games with a 3-1-1 ledger. The Buckeyes share the NCAA lead with five road wins this year and are tied for third nationally in road games played with seven. The team has held opponents to .86 goals per game in road contests, with four shutouts. After back-to-back home series, Ohio State will hit the road for two games at Minnesota Nov. 30/Dec. 1 to close out the first half of the schedule.
Headed back to Columbus! Had to hurry to beat the snow in Syracuse. @OhioStateMHKY pic.twitter.com/9bIC4pbb3E
— Tim Adams (@t_j_adams) November 11, 2018
Defense
The Buckeyes are allowing 2.10 goals per game this season, tying for eighth nationally in team defense. The squad has an NCAA-best four shutouts on the year, ahead of four teams with three each.
Goalies Sean Romeo and Tommy Nappier, who split starts through the first five series, each have two shutouts for the Buckeyes. Nappier blanked Arizona State Oct. 12 and Colgate Nov. 10, with Romeo not allowing a goal at Notre Dame Nov. 2 and at Colgate Nov. 9. The back-to-back shutouts at Colgate last weekend were the first time Ohio State did not allow a goal in a series since a sweep at Alabama Huntsville Nov. 4-5, 2011.
Romeo, a redshirt senior, now has four career shutouts, while sophomore Nappier has three in his career.
This season, Nappier is second in the NCAA with a .957 save percentage this year and ranks fourth with a 1.32 goals-against average.
