Buckeyes Headed to Joe Louis Arena for B1G Tourney – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 18, 2015
2015 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals
Ohio State vs. Penn State (Ohio State Game Notes PDF)
Date:Thursday, March 19 | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET |Venue: Joe Louis Arena |Location: Detroit, Mich.
Live Stats:Gametracker |Radio:1460 AM OhioStateBuckeyes.com | TV: BTN|Online/Mobile: BTN2Go
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State men’s hockey team heads to Detroit for the 2015 Big Ten Tournament this week. The No. 5 seed Buckeyes (13-18-3, 8-11-1-1 B1G) will meet No. 4 seed Penn State (18-14-4, 10-9-1-0 B1G) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.
The winner of the game between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will face No. 1 seed Minnesota (21-12-3, 12-5-3-0 B1G) at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals. The championship game is set for 8 p.m. Saturday, with the winner receiving the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
The other quarterfinal game features No. 3 seed Michigan (20-14-0, 12-8-0-0 B1G) vs. No. 6 Wisconsin (4-25-5, 2-15-3-2 B1G) at 8 p.m. Thursday, with the winner taking on No. 2 Michigan State (17-15-2, 11-7-2-2 B1G) at 8 p.m. Friday in the semifinal round.
Single-session tickets for the Big Ten Tournament at Joe Louis Arena are on sale. A single-session ticket starts at $20 and allows access to all Big Ten Tournament games on the corresponding day. Tickets can be purchased at the Joe Louis Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and online at OlympiaEntertainment.com.
Follow Along
- All five games in the Big Ten Tournament will be televised by BTN, with Dan Kelly, Rob Andringa, Ben Clymer and Fred Pletsch calling the action.
- The tourney games will be available through BTN2Go for smart phones, tablets and computers. Fans who receive BTN through their cable provider have access to televised games on BTN2Go.
- The Buckeyes’ radio broadcast will be on 1460 AM in Columbus and online on OhioStateBuckeyes.com through Buckeye Vision subscription packages. Herb Howenstine and former Buckeye John Mowat will provide commentary.
- Gametracker live stats for all Buckeye games in the tournament can be accessed through OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
- In-game updates will be on Twitter @OhioState_MHKY.
- Links for all Buckeye postseason games will be updated on the Buckeye hockey gameday page prior to game time: go.osu.edu/mhkygameday.
Buckeye Snapshot
- The Buckeyes, 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, are 13-18-3 overall and ended conference play with an 8-11-1-1 ledger in the Big Ten. The team is coming off a 2-2 overtime tie (shootout win) and 2-0 victory at Wisconsin last weekend.
- Ohio State is averaging 2.79 goals a game and allowing 3.32 goals a contest. The power play is 15-for-114 (.132) and the penalty kill is 77-for-102 (.755). The team averages 9.8 penalty minutes and 30.6 shots a night.
- Senior forward Tanner Fritz leads the squad with 15 assists and 26 points and ranks third with 11 goals. Junior forward Anthony Greco is first with 15 goals and second with 23 points. Freshman forward Matthew Weis is third with 22 points, ranking second with 14 assists. Sophomore forward Nick Schilkey has a 9-12-21 line to rank fourth in points and senior forward Matt Johnson is second with 13 goals and fifth with 20 points. Junior Sam Jardine leads the defensemen with 11 points (2g, 9a).
- In goal, sophomore Christian Frey has started and played in 22 games, including 15 of the last 18, posting a 3.17 goals-against average and .906 save percentage, with an 8-11-2 ledger. Sophomore Matt Tomkins has played in 14 games (starting 12) and has a 3.28 goals-against average and .876 save percentage. Logan Davis has played limited time in two games and has a 2.75 goals-against average and .846 save percentage.
Going to The Joe
- Joe Louis Arena, which hosted the CCHA postseason tournament for many years, is hosting the Big Ten Tournament for the first time. The inaugural B1G Tourney was held at the Xcel Energy Center last season.
- Ohio State has competed in a conference postseason tournament at The Joe 13 times (1979, `83, `84, `85, “87, `98, `99, `02, `03, `04, `05 and `13). The team won three games in three days in the CCHA Super Six to claim the 2004 tournament title.
- The Buckeyes are 8-11 in postseason games in Joe Louis Arena (11-13 including consolation games).
- Ohio State’s first postseason title was the 1972 CCHA crown, won in St. Louis Arena in St. Louis, Mo.
- Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik captained Wisconsin to the 1990 NCAA title at Joe Louis Arena. The Badgers topped Colgate, 7-3, in the championship game after beating Boston College in the semifinals, 2-1.
Buckeyes in the Inaugural B1G Tourney
- Ohio State, the No. 4 seed in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament, advanced to the inaugural title game before falling to No. 2 seed (and sixth ranked) Wisconsin in overtime, 5-4, last year.
- In the quarterfinals, Ohio State downed No. 5 seed Michigan State in overtime, 2-1. The Buckeyes trailed 1-0 after the first period but Tanner Fritz tied the game in the second and then-freshman defenseman Drew Brevig netted the overtime winner.
- In the semifinals, the Buckeyes defeated top seed (and No. 1 ranked) Minnesota, 3-1. The teams were tied at one after the first 40 minutes, with Nick Schilkey scoring on the power play for Ohio State in the first and Minnesota converting a power play of its own in the second. In the third, Ryan Dzingel scored at 9:08, putting Ohio State ahead, 2-1, and Anthony Greco sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
- Against the Badgers in the championship, Ohio State led 2-0 early on goals from Dzingel and Nick Oddo before UW scored on the power play with 23 seconds left in the first period. Wisconsin tied the game in the second with a power play goal and Clark Cristofoli answered for the Buckeyes 1:16 later for a 3-2 Ohio State lead after 40 minutes. Tanner Fritz put Ohio State up by two (4-2) at 13:08 of the third but Wisconsin scored twice in the next 48 seconds (13:28, 13:56) to tie the game at four-all. Wisconsin’s Mark Zengerle gave the Badgers the win with a goal 7:48 into overtime.
Buckeyes vs. Nittany Lions
- Ohio State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 6-3, including a 3-1 ledger vs. the Nittany Lions this season. The teams split a series in University Park Jan. 9-10. The Buckeyes won the opener, 5-4 in overtime, before the Nittany Lions won game two, 4-1. In Columbus Feb. 27-28, Ohio State posted back-to-back 5-3 wins over Penn State for a series sweep.
- In the first year as B1G foes, the Buckeyes swept Penn State, with 5-1 and 5-2 wins, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2014 , in Columbus and split a series on PSU’s home ice March 14-15, 2014 (OSU W 4-2, PSU W 4-2).
- The first matchup between the teams was Dec. 29, 2012 in the Three Rivers Classic at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, a 5-4 Nittany Lion win.
- Seniors Tanner Fritz, Al McLean and Matt Johnson have played in all nine games between the teams. Fritz leads the current Buckeyes with 10 points vs. PSU (3g, 7a) and sophomore Nick Schilkey is second with nine points (3g, 6a) in eight games vs. Penn State. Christian Frey has started seven games vs. PSU and has a 2.55 goals-against average and .936 save percentage vs. Penn State, including two games with 46 saves and a 53-save outing.
Look at the Lions
- Penn State is 18-14-4 this year and had a 10-9-1-0 ledger in Big Ten play to finish fourth. The squad is coming off two losses at Minnesota (5-0, 6-2).
- The Nittany Lions average 3.28 goals a game to rank ninth nationally and are allowing 3.06 an outing. The power play is 28-for-128 (.219) and the penalty kill is 104-for-129 (.806). Penn State averages 10.2 penalty minutes a game. The Nittany Lions average 39.4 shots on goal a night to rank first in the NCAA and allow 32.7 an outing.
- Casey Bailey leads Penn State with 22 goals and 40 points this season. David Goodwin is second with 15 goals and 34 points. Taylor Holstrom has a team-high 26 assists and is third with 33 points. Eric Scheid is fourth on the squad with a 14-15-29 line, followed by Scott Conway with 26 points on 10 goals and 16 assists.
- In goal, Matthew Skoff has played in 18 games and has a 2.81 goals-against average and .907 save percentage, along with a 7-6-2 ledger. Eamon McAdam has played in 11 games, posting a 3.13 gaa and .911 save percentage, with a 5-3-1 record, and PJ Musico has a 3.05 gaa, .909 sv% and 6-5-1 ledger.
The Last Series – Buckeyes Sweep Nittany Lions
- Ohio State posted its first sweep of the season Feb. 27-28, recording two 5-3 wins over Penn State in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes led from the 1:19 mark of the second period in game one, while in game two the squad rallied from a goal down in the third for the win. The sweep was the first for the Buckeyes since winning two games vs. Penn State Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2014 in Columbus (5-1, 5-2).
- Game 1 (Ohio State 5, Penn State 3): In the first game between the teams, 11 Buckeyes had at least a point in the win, with freshman Matthew Weis scoring twice and sophomore Nick Schilkey and junior Anthony Greco each posting two assists. Christian Frey made 46 saves in the Buckeye net. Penn State scored just 31 seconds into the contest and Weis tied the game at 14:26. The Buckeyes scored the first two goals of the second period, with Tanner Fritz putting Ohio State in the lead (2-1) with a power play goal at 1:19 and Weis tallying at 12:13 for a 3-1 Buckeye advantage. PSU drew within one with a quick answer at 13:09. In the third period, Buckeye goals 57 seconds apart – at 8:02 and 8:59 from Josh Healey and Luke Stork, respectively – pushed the Buckeye lead to three (5-2). The Nittany Lions scored with the net empty at 14:45 to cut the lead to two. Penn State skated with the net empty for the final 3:00+, including a 6-on-4 advantage for the last 1:26 after a Buckeye penalty, but Ohio State closed out the win. Shots were 49-35 in favor of Penn State in the game. Ohio State was 1-for-3 on the power play and Penn State was 0-for-2.
- Game 2 (Ohio State 5, Penn State 3): Senior captain Tanner Fritz had three points to lead the Buckeyes to a second 5-3 win over the Nittany Lions, one of 10 Buckeyes with at least a point in the game. The Buckeyes trailed the Nittany Lions 3-2 after the second period but outscored PSU 3-0 in the third for the win. Penn State scored the game’s first two goals at 11:45 and 16:32 of the first period. Buckeye senior Justin DaSilva cut the lead in half at 17:15 for a 2-1 PSU advantage after 20 minutes. At 4:23 of the second Ohio State junior Sam Jardine tied the game with a power play goal but Penn State answered at 6:59 to regain the lead. Ohio State scored three times in a 4:17 span in the third period to tie the game and take the lead. Schilkey tied the game at 9:18, Fritz followed at 10:19 to put Ohio State in the lead for the first time and freshman Nicholas Jones tallied at 13:35 for a two-goal advantage. The Buckeyes outshot Penn State, 44-27, in the game including 16-5 in the third period. Ohio State was 1-for-2 on the power play and Penn State did not have a chance with the man advantage. The only three penalties called in the game were in a span of 1:06 in the second period.
Last Time Out – Buckeyes 1-0-1-1 at Wisconsin
- Ohio State closed the regular season against Wisconsin last weekend in the Kohl Center in Madison, with a 2-2 overtime tie (4-3 shootout win in 10 rounds) and 2-0 victory over the Badgers.
- Game 1 (Ohio State 2, Wisconsin 2 OT): Ohio State and Wisconsin skated to a 2-2 overtime tie last Friday (the first between the teams in series history) before the Buckeyes won the shootout, 4-3 in 10 rounds, to earn the extra point in the league standings. Wisconsin native and Buckeye junior Tyler Lundey scored the only goal through the first 40 minutes, with a tally at 13:21 of the second period. Wisconsin tied the game early in the third before Matthew Weis put Ohio State back ahead at 9:36. The Badgers tied the game for the second time with less than four minutes left in regulation. Neither team scored in overtime, combining for seven shots on goal. Wisconsin shot first in each round of the shootout, with Ohio State answering three times (Nick Schilkey, Tanner Fritz and Christian Lampasso) before senior Clark Cristofoli had the winner in the 10th round. Buckeye sophomore goalie Christian Frey, who ended the game with 22 saves, had four saves in the shootout, including one to open the 10th round.
- Game 2 (Ohio State 2, Wisconsin 0): Ohio State again had goals from Lundey and Weis, as the team shut out the Badgers 2-0 for its second shutout of the year, with sophomore goalie Matt Tomkins stopping all 17 shots he faced. The teams were scoreless after the first and Lundey opened the scoring at 8:54 of the second and Weis tallied at 10:50 of the third for a 2-0 Buckeye lead. Shots were 42-17 in favor of Ohio State, who posted the first road shutout for the squad since Brady Hjelle had 29 saves at Miami March 1, 2013.
Greco, Weis and Fritz Recognized by B1G
- Junior forward Anthony Greco was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. The native of Queens, N.Y., leads Ohio State and is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 15 goals this season. He has added eight assists for 23 points, all career highs, while playing in all 34 Buckeye games. Three of his goals have been gamewinners, including overtime tallies against Providence Oct. 10 and Penn State Jan. 9. He has two hat tricks on the year (Oct. 10 vs. Providence, Jan. 16 vs. Michigan), has a shorthanded goal and also has three power play tallies. Greco led the Buckeyes with 14 points during B1G games, with eight goals and six assists.
- Matthew Weis, a native of Freehold, N.J., was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He is fifth in scoring among Big Ten rookies, posting 22 points, with eight goals and 14 assists, while playing in 31 games. He has at least one point in 16 games on the year, including in five of the last six outings, and has five multiple-point performances. In B1G games, Weis was tied for second among the Buckeyes with 13 points, posting six goals and adding seven assists, ranking fifth among league freshmen.
- Senior captain Tanner Fritz was the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award for Ohio State for the second time. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Fritz, from Grande Prairie, Alberta, has played in all 34 games this year and leads Ohio State with 15 assists and 26 points, ranking third with 11 goals. An Academic All-Big Ten honoree, he has been assessed just two penalties and has blocked 38 shots on the year.
Buckeyes of Late
- Ohio State is 6-3-1 in its last 10 games after losing six games in a row Jan. 10-Feb. 7, with wins over Wisconsin (2), Michigan, Penn State (2) and Minnesota and a tie vs. the Badgers.
- Over the last 10 outings, the squad is averaging 3.2 goals a game and allowing 2.6 a contest. The team is averaging 34.7 shots on goal per game, giving up 28.6 an outing. The team has just 6.4 penalty minutes a game over the stretch.
- The Buckeyes have scored either five goals (four times, 4-0) or two goals (six times, 2-3-1) in a game in each of in the last 10 games.
- Senior Tanner Fritz has a team-high 11 points, with five goals and six points, in the last 10 games combined. Junior Tyler Lundey shares the goal-scoring lead with Fritz over the stretch with five each. Freshman Matthew Weis is second with eight points, on four goals and four assists.
- In the last 10 outings, junior defenseman Craig Dalrymple leads the squad with a +6 mark, with sophomore blueliner Josh Healey and freshman forward Nicholas Jones second with +5 ratings. Healey has a team-best 24 blocked shots over the stretch, with senior Justin DaSilva second with 21.
- In the last 10 games, Ohio State is 21-for-24 (.875) on the penalty kill.
For complete notes, bios and statistics, open the game notes PDF above
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