Jan. 30, 2014

Ohio State vs. Penn State
Friday, Jan. 31 – 7:05 p.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 1 – 2 p.m. ET
Value City Arena – Columbus, Ohio

RELATED INFO
• Buckeye Hockey Gameday Page: go.osu.edu/mhkygameday
• Ohio State Game Notes: PDF
• WATCH: Coach Rohlik  | Schilkey and DaSilva
• Live Stats: Friday Saturday
• Radio: 1460 AM & Online Friday Saturday
• Online: Friday – Buckeye Vision Saturday – Watch ESPN
• Television: Friday – none | Saturday – ESPNews 
• Compete 2013-14 schedule: go.osu.edu/mhkysked1314
• Follow the Buckeyes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team (12-9-1, 2-5-1-0 B1G) hosts Penn State (4-15-1, 0-6-0-0 B1G) in a two-game Big Ten Conference series this weekend. The teams will meet at 7:05 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena in Columbus.

Follow Along
The game Friday will be streamed online through the Buckeye Vision subscription package and also available through BTN.com subscription packages.

The game Saturday will be televised by ESPNEWS and available online through WatchESPN (go.osu.edu/watchespnosupsu14).

IMG/Ohio State radio, with Herb Howenstine and former Buckeye John Mowat on the call, will carry the action over the air in Columbus on 1460 AM. The broadcast is also available as part of Buckeye Vision subscriptions.

Audio, video and live stats links for the games vs. Penn State, as well as all games throughout the season, are on the men’s hockey schedule or gameday pages (go.osu.edu/mhkygameday) on OhioStateBuckeyes.com, with in-game updates also on Twitter @OhioState_MHKY.

Celebrating Buckeye Hockey History
Saturday marks the celebration of the first 50 years of the Ohio State varsity men’s hockey program, which began in 1963-64. Buckeye hockey alumni in attendance will be recognized pregame. During the first intermission, the All-Buckeye Team will be revealed, including the top goaltender, two defensemen and three forwards as determined by a fan vote.

Script Ohio, Meet and Greet with the Buckeyes
Script Ohio on Ice will be performed during the first intermission Friday.

Saturday, a meet and greet with select members of the Buckeye squad will be held on the concourse level postgame.

Be The Match Drive
Penn State sophomore assistant captain David Glen is missing the games vs. the Buckeyes this weekend after donating bone marrow. Glen entered the National Marrow Donor Program registry through a drive at Penn State held for Kim Roper, the mother of a PSU men’s lacrosse player and a Columbus-area native. He was found to be a match for a woman battling leukemia and recently completed a procedure to harvest hematopoetic stem cells.

At both games in Value City Arena this weekend, fans can visit the Fred Taylor Room on the concourse level and join the registry. For more information on joining the registry, visit Match4Kim.com or BeTheMatch.org.

Ticket Talk
Tickets for all Buckeye hockey home games can be purchased at the arena on game night, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, online at ticketmaster.com, in person at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Ohio State University ticket office in the Jerome Schottenstein Center. Single-game tickets are $11 for adults and $8 for student/youth and seniors.

All Ohio State students will receive free admission to regular-season home games with a valid BuckID.

Any youth 13 or under wearing their youth jersey can receive one complimentary ticket to any regular season game in Value City Arena. The promotion is only available at the Schottenstein Center Box Office on game night.

Fans interested in group tickets should contact the athletic ticket sales staff for details. Account executives can be reached by phone (1-800-GOBUCKS; select option 2) or email (athleticsales@osu.edu). There is a 10-ticket minimum for the group rate, with tickets as low as $6.60 each.

The More the Buckeyes Score …
This season, when the Buckeyes score three goals in a game, all patrons in attendance will receive a coupon for free french fries from participating McDonald’s of Columbus and Central Ohio. If the Buckeyes hit the four-goal mark, the coupons will be upgraded to a free Big Mac instead of french fries. For Raising Cane’s Power Plays this season, if the Buckeyes score on their first power play of the game, fans in attendance will receive a coupon for a free chicken finger, while select fans in attendance will receive a buy one, get one combo offer coupon.

Buckeye Snapshot
Ohio State, under first-year head coach Steve Rohlik, is 12-9-1 on the year and coming off a series split at No. 9-ranked Wisconsin. The Buckeyes fell to the Badgers in game one, 5-3, before winning game two, 3-1. The squad is 2-5-1-0 in Big Ten play, with three of the losses by one goal. The Buckeyes are returning home after a season-high four road games in a row.

The squad is averaging 3.50 goals a game to tie for fifth in scoring in the NCAA and is allowing 2.82 a contest. Ohio State’s power play is 22-for-101 (.218), ranking 12th nationally and first in the Big Ten, and the penalty kill is 68-for-84 (.810). The team averages 11.1 penalty minutes per game and 33.2 shots on goal per outing.

Junior Ryan Dzingel leads the team with 14 goals and 30 points and is tied with Tanner Fritz for first with 16 assists. Junior Max McCormick is second with tied for third with seven goals, third with 14 assists and second with 21 points. Freshman Nick Schilkey is second on the squad with eight goals and leads the rookies with 15 points. Junior Nick Oddo is tied for second with seven goals and ranks third with 20 points. Senior Alex Szczechura and Fritz are tied for fourth with 19 points each. Szczechura has a 6-13-19 line and Fritz has three goals and 16 helpers. Oddo is first on the squad with a +19 mark and sophomore defenseman Craig Dalrymple is second with a +11 rating. Junior Justin DaSilva has blocked a team-best 49 shots and freshman blueliner Josh Healey is second with 37, followed by senior Curtis Gedig with 33. In goal, three freshmen have picked up wins for the Buckeyes. Matt Tomkins has a 2.66 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 13 games (12 starts). Christian Frey joined the team in December and has started four contests, with a 3-1 ledger, 2.54 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. Logan Davis has played in five games, with four starts, posting a 2.21 goals-against average, .909 save percentage and one shutout.

Last Time Out – Ohio state Splits Series at No. 9 Wisconsin
Game 1: Wisconsin 5, Ohio State 3 – Ohio State lost its first Big Ten Conference game against Wisconsin, 5-3, Friday in the Kohl Center. The Badgers scored early in the first but Ohio State junior Ryan Dzingel tied the game with a power play goal at 14:42 of the period. The Buckeyes took a 2-1 lead at 10:55 of the second when Nick Schilkey converted on the power play. The Badgers then scored twice in 2:47 to tie the game and take the lead, with Morgan Zulinick tallying at 14:30 and Tyler Barnes scoring at 17:17. Just 42 seconds into the third period, Joe Faust extended Wisconsin’s lead to two (4-2). At 17:33, Buckeye freshman David Gust scored an unassisted shorthanded goal to make it a one-goal game (4-3), but UW scored on the same power play at 18:29 to seal the win. Shots were 29-26 in favor of Wisconsin.
Game 2: Ohio State 3, Wisconsin 1 – Ohio State defeated the Badgers 3-1, Saturday in the Kohl Center. After a scoreless first period, Wisconsin took the lead at 10:03 of the second period. Buckeye freshman Nick Schilkey tied the game less than two minutes later and Nick Oddo scored the eventual gamewinner less than four minutes after that for a 2-1 Buckeye lead through two periods. The Buckeyes shut out the Badgers in the third period and Darik Angeli sealed the win with an empty net goal with 12 seconds remaining. Buckeye freshman goalie Christian Frey made a career-high 36 saves in the win, including 17 in the first period.

Buckeyes vs. Nittany Lions
Ohio State and Penn State met for the first and only time as Division I opponents Dec. 29, 2012 in the consolation game of the Three Rivers Classic at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. Penn State won the matchup, 5-4.

The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will meet for the second time this season March 14-15 in State College, Pa., on the final weekend of the regular season.

Ohio State Vs. Penn State in 2012
Despite a hat trick from Ryan Dzingel, Ohio State fell to Penn State, 5-4, Dec. 29, 2012 in the consolation game of the Three Rivers Classic at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The Buckeyes led 1-0 after an early goal from Dzingel but Penn State scored three unanswered, including twice in the final 3:20, to lead 3-1 after the first period. Dzingel pulled Ohio State within one with an early second-period goal but a PSU tally with nine seconds left in the period pushed the Nittany Lions back ahead by two and Penn State scored 21 seconds into the third period for a 5-2 advantage. Dzingel completed his hat trick at 7:49 of the third for a 5-3 game. With more than four minutes left Ohio State skated pulled its goalie for the extra attacker and was able to convert once on a goal by Alex Szczechura but could not draw even.

Lion Ledger
Penn State, in its second year as a Division I program, is 4-15-1 this year and 0-6-0-0 in the Big Ten with conference losses to Minnesota at home and on the road at Wisconsin and Michigan State. The squad played one game last week, falling at home to Boston College, 3-2. The team averages 2.25 goals a game and is allowing 3.80 an outing. The power play is 14-for-74 (.189) and the penalty kill is 79-for-98 (.806).

Eric Scheid leads Penn State with 10 goals and 15 points. Luke Juha has a team-high nine assists and is second with 13 points. David Goodwin is third on the team with 10 points, including four goals and six assists. In goal, Matthew Skoff has played in 12 games, with a 4-7-1 ledger, 3.39 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. Eamon McAdam has seen action in eight games and has a 3.94 gaa and .889 save percentage.

Light the Lamp
• The Buckeyes are averaging 3.50 goals a game, tying for fifth nationally in scoring offense. The squad has four or more goals in 10 of the last 19 games and at least three in all but five games this year.
• Nine Buckeyes have already hit double-digit points this season through the first 22 games. Last year, in all 40 games, the squad had just eight players post 10 points or more. The team this season has three 20-point scorers and two more with 19 points. Last season, just four had 20 or more points. The 2012-13 squad averaged 2.38 goals an outing.
• The Buckeyes are 7-2 this year when scoring first and 5-7-1 when allowing the first tally. The team allowed the first goal Saturday in its win at Wisconsin.
• Ohio State scored 13 goals in its two-game sweep of Mercyhurst Dec. 28-29. It was the most goals scored by the Buckeyes in a two-game set since downing Bentley, 10-1 and 3-2 in overtime, Dec. 12-13, 2008.
• The second period has been the best for the Buckeyes, who have outscored opponents, 30-24, in the middle stanza. The team has scored 19 goals in the first period, allowing 15, while the Buckeyes have outscored their foes, 28-22, in the final 20 minutes.
• The seven goals vs. Mercyhurst Dec. 29 were the most for the squad since scoring eight March 6, 2010 vs. Notre Dame.
• Ohio State is 12-5 when scoring three or more goals this season.

On D
• The Buckeyes are allowing 2.82 goals a game this season but have allowed two or less in four of the last seven games.
• The squad kept Wisconsin, which came into the series averaging 3.55 goals a game, to just one goal Saturday in its 3-1 win.
• On the year, the Buckeyes are 12-2-1 when allowing three or fewer goals.

Special Teams
• Against Wisconsin, Ohio State was 2-for-11 (.182) on the power play, going 2-for-6 Friday and 0-for-5 Saturday. The team is 22-for-101 on the year to rank 12th in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten at 21.8 percent.
• In Big Ten games, Ohio State has converted a league-best 29 percent of its chances, with eight goals on 31 opportunities.
• The squad has a power play goal in seven of the last 10 games, converting 31.6 percent of its chances (12-of-38) in the stretch.
• Ryan Dzingel leads the Big Ten with 12 power play points and is tied for second in the league with five power play goals. Max McCormick is third with 11 points on the power play, including a league-best nine power play assists.
• Freshman Nick Schilkey has four power play goals and Tanner Fritz, McCormick, Tyler Lundey, Alex Szczechura and Drew Brevig each have scored twice on the power play.
• Ohio State was 6-for-7 on the penalty kill vs. Wisconsin. In the last 15 games combined, the squad is 48-for-53 (.906), allowing a goal in just five of the 15 contests. The Buckeyes shut out the Badgers on four power play chances in the 3-1 win Saturday.
• Freshman David Gust scored shorthanded at Wisconsin last Friday, the first shorty of his career. It was the Buckeyes’ second SHG of the season, with Ryan Dzingel scoring on the penalty kill Nov. 9 vs. Niagara.
• On the year, the team is averaging 11.1 penalty minutes a game. The squad has single-digit penalty minutes in 11 outings and more than 20 minutes just four times. The Buckeyes were assessed just one penalty in each game vs. Mercyhurst Dec. 28-29.

Home Sweet Home
• Ohio State is 10-3-1 in Columbus this season, averaging 4.0 goals a game in Value City Arena, while allowing 2.4 an outing. The team is 3-0-1 in its last four games at home and has just one loss in its last 10 games in VCA.
• Ryan Dzingel leads the team with 12 goals and 24 points in VCA, including a hat trick and four-point night vs. Michigan State Jan. 10.
• Nick Oddo is second with 17 points at home, sharing the assist lead with Dzingel with 12 each. Max McCormick is second with six goals and third with 14 points.
• In all, 14 of the Buckeyes’ first 18 games this season were in Columbus.
• The squad recently wrapped up a season-long stretch of four road games in a row. The series at Minnesota marked the first back-to-back road games of the year for the squad this season. The first road games of the year were all single matchups at Miami, Bowling Green, Robert Morris and Michigan. The squad’s first overnight trip, and the only one in the first half of the year, was for the inaugural Big Ten game at Michigan.
• The team has seven home and five road games remaining in the regular season. The squad will host Penn State this weekend, Wisconsin Feb. 14-15 and Minnesota March 7-8, along with a game vs. Michigan March 2 in Nationwide Arena. The Buckeyes will travel for two-game series at Michigan State (Feb. 7-8) and at Penn State (March 14-15) and a game at Michigan Feb. 28.

Hobey Baker Candidate Dzingel Leading the Charge
• Junior Ryan Dzingel leads the Buckeyes and the Big Ten with 30 points this season. He is eighth in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in points per game (1.36). He is tied for first in the league with 14 goals, tying for 18th nationally, and is 10th (tied) in the NCAA with a league-best tying .64 goals per game. Dzingel’s .73 assists per game are third in the Big Ten and he is tied for fourth among all league players with 16 helpers this season.
• Dzingel had a goal and an assist for two points in the first game at Wisconsin. Saturday, he was held off the scoresheet for just the fifth time in 22 games this season. He has multiple points in eight games, including in five of the last 10.
• Dzingel netted his second career hat trick Jan. 10 vs. Michigan State. It was the first in Big Ten Conference play and was matched by Wisconsin’s Michael Mersch later that night. Dzingel also scored three times vs. Penn State Dec. 29, 2012. He also had an assist vs. the Spartans for his second career four-point day after two goals and two assists at Michigan Nov. 19, 2011. It was the Buckeyes’ first hat trick since Alex Szczechura Feb. 16, 2013.
• Dzingel had a career-high 10-game point streak ended in game two vs. Michigan State Saturday. He had 12 goals, eight assists and 20 points in the stretch. The streak opened with goals in eight-consecutive games.
• Dzingel shared the team scoring lead as a freshman and had a Buckeye-best 16 goals and 38 points last season.
• With four gamewinning goals this season, Dzingel leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth in the NCAA.
• In Big Ten games only, Dzingel has a league-best 11 points and shares the goal lead with six, tying for fifth with five assists.
• Dzingel now has 92 points as a Buckeye and is looking to become the first Buckeye to hit the 100-point mark since John Albert, Peter Boyd and Sergio Somma all reached triple digits in 2011.
• Dzingel is on the ballot for the Hobey Baker Award fan vote. Fans can vote once per day, with the first phase running now through March 9. Phase two of fan balloting will begin March 20 from the list of Top 10 Hobey Baker finalist. The fans’ vote accounts for a full one percent of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year’s award recipient. To vote for Dzingel, visit: go.osu.edu/DzingelVote4Hobey.

Led by the Juniors
• The Buckeye junior class is third in the nation with 118 combined points and ranks second in the NCAA with an average of 5.36 points per game this season (through 22 games). Mercyhurst is first with 161 points and 5.75 points per game through 28 games. Air Force is second with 123 points in its first 26 games combined, averaging 4.73 points per outing to rank fourth behind third-place Cornell (4.74 points per game through 19 games).
• Four of the Buckeyes’ top five scorers – Ryan Dzingel, Max McCormick, Tanner Fritz and Nick Oddo – are juniors, with the lone exception senior Alex Szczechura.

Between the Pipes
• Three freshmen have started games – and picked up wins – between the pipes for Ohio State this season. Three of the five rookies who have played between the pipes for a Big Ten team this season have been Buckeyes.
• Christian Frey was added to the Ohio State roster as a goaltender in December and started both games for the Buckeyes vs. Mercyhurst, picking up two wins. He had 25 saves on 28 shots Dec. 28 in his first collegiate start and then made 31 saves on 33 Laker attempts Dec. 29. Frey started game two at Minnesota Jan. 18 and made 28 saves before starting the second game at Wisconsin. He is 3-1-0, with a 2.54 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.
• Frey made a career-high 36 saves, allowing just one goal, at Wisconsin last Saturday to earn Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors.
• Matt Tomkins started eight of the Buckeyes’ first 10 games (and played in nine) before suffering an injury Nov. 9 vs. Niagara that forced him to miss the next four games. He returned to the lineup vs. Mercyhurst but did not see game action. He was back between the pipes for both games vs. Michigan State Jan. 10-11. He made 33 saves in game one and then stopped 26-of-27 shots in game two. He started a third consecutive game at Minnesota Jan. 17 and had 26 saves, allowing just one goal for the second game in a row and suffered the loss in the first game at Wisconsin. He is 6-5-1 on the year, with a 2.66 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.
• Logan Davis, who started the season as the Buckeyes’ third goalie, came on in relief Nov. 9 vs. Niagara and started the next four games. He picked up a shutout in his first career start Nov. 15 vs. Canisius and was named Big Ten Third Star of the Week after allowing just one goal in a sweep of Canisius. He picked up an assist Dec. 2 vs. Michigan. Davis has a 3-2-0 ledger this year, with a 2.21 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.
• Aaron Kahn, who began the season with the Ohio State Club Team, was added to the roster as a backup goalie in November. He has not seen game action.
• Aaron Gretz, a catcher for the Ohio State baseball team who joined the Buckeye hockey roster in November, returned to the baseball team as the squad began preparations for its spring season. He dressed as a backup goalie for the series with Canisius and Michigan.

Contributions from the Freshmen
• All seven Buckeye freshmen have seen game action this season, with the four skaters all picking up at least one goal and one assist and two of the three goalies recording an assist. All three goalies (Matt Tomkins, Christian Frey, Logan Davis) have at least two wins.
• Forward Nick Schilkey is first with 15 points, tying for fourth among all Big Ten rookies. He had two goals and an assist for third points in the split at Wisconsin, with a goal and helper in the game two win. Schilkey is tied for ninth in the Big Ten with eight goals, tying for second among the league’s freshmen.
• Drew Brevig leads the Buckeye defensemen in scoring with 10 points on two goals and eight assists. He is tied for first in scoring among Big Ten rookie blueliners (tying for 12th in the NCAA), tied for sixth among all B1G rookies and seventh among all league defensemen in points. Brevig had an assist in the first game at Wisconsin.
• Forward David Gust has nine points, including five goals, with a point in six of his last eight games (4g, 3a, 7p). He scored shorthanded in the first game at Wisconsin.
• Defenseman Josh Healey is second on the team with 37 blocks, tying for 10th in the Big Ten. He is fourth in the league and 25th in the NCAA with 2.06 blocks per game.

Oddo On the Plus Side
• Oddo leads Ohio State with a +19 rating, ranking second in the Big Ten and tying for seventh nationally. Oddo is +1 or better in 11 games this year and has not had a minus rating.
• Oddo is third on the team and tied for ninth in the Big Ten with 20 points. He had the game-winning goal and an assist in the victory at Wisconsin last Saturday. In his last 11 games, Oddo has recorded four goals, seven assists and 11 points.
• Oddo has a career-high seven goals, 13 assists and 20 points this season. He had a 2-5-7 line last season when he was limited to 22 games because of injury and five goals and five assists for 10 points in 32 games as a freshman.
• He had his third three-point game of the season (the fourth of his career) with a goal and two assists vs. Michigan State Jan. 11. He had two goals and an assist Oct. 25 vs. Robert Morris and a career-best three assists Dec. 28 vs. Mercyhurst.

Block Party
• The Buckeyes had 22 recorded blocked shots in the victory at Wisconsin Saturday, led by freshman Josh Healey with six and freshman Drew Brevig and junior Justin DaSilva with five each.
• DaSilva is first in the Big Ten with 49 blocked shots this season. He ranks first in the league and fourth in the NCAA with 2.58 blocks per game. DaSilva has at least one blocked shot in all 19 games he has played, including six Nov. 29 at Michigan and five at Wisconsin last Saturday.
• Healey is fourth in the conference with an average of 2.06 blocked shots per outing and is tied for 10th with 37 blocks on the year.
• Senior Curtis Gedig, who did not play at Wisconsin, is second on the squad with 32 blocks this season.

McCormick on the Scoresheet
• Junior Max McCormick has a point in all but seven games this season, with five multiple-point nights.
• McCormick is second on the team and tied for seventh in the Big Ten with 21 points and ranks tied for ninth with .95 points per game. He is sixth (tied) in the league with 13 assists. His 11 power play points are third in the league and he has a league-high nine power play assists.
• He had a six-game point streak, with two goals and six assists for 10 points in the stretch, ended in game two vs. Michigan State Jan. 11.
• A preseason Big Ten Player to Watch, McCormick had career highs of 15 goals, 16 assists and 31 points last year. This is his third 20-point campaign.

Shooting Gallery
• Ohio State is averaging 33.23 shots per game, ranking 15th in the NCAA.
• The team has been held to less than 30 shots in each of its last five games, including a season-low 21 shots at Minnesota Jan. 18 and 22 at Wisconsin Jan. 25. • The Buckeyes put a Value City Arena record 56 shots on net in game two vs.
Mercyhurst Dec. 29, the first time the team had 50 or more shots since Dec. 3, 2005. In game one vs. Mercyhurst, Ohio State had 48 shots on the Laker goalie.
• Buckeye opponents average 29.82 shots on goal per game. Niagara had an Ohio State opponent season-low 16 Nov. 9. Wisconsin had 29 shots in game one and 37 in game two last week.

In the Faceoff Circle
• Junior Darik Angeli leads the Big Ten and is second nationally in faceoff winning percentage. He is 63-35 (.643) this season.
• Max McCormick is third in the league and 21st in the NCAA, winning 72-of-122 faceoffs (.590).
• Travis Statchuk is eighth among league players, going 82-66 (.554) on the year.
• Tyler Lundey is 11th in the conference with 147 faceoff wins.

Fritz Back to Form
• Junior Tanner Fritz was injured Oct. 15 vs. Bowling Green and missed the next five games, returning Nov. 8 vs. Niagara. He has 17 points (3g, 14a) in the last 14 games combined since returning and has been held scoreless just five times in the stretch. He had an assist Saturday at Wisconsin after being shut out Friday.
• Fritz has a team-best (tied) 16 assists this season, tying for fourth in the Big Ten. He is second the Big Ten and seventh in the NCAA with .95 assists per game. His 1.12 points per game average is third in the league and tied for 29th among all players nationally.

Szczechura Posting Points
• Senior Alex Szczechura has a point in eight of the last 15 games, with a 4-10-14 line in the stretch. He has six multiple-point games this season.
• Szczechura is tied for fourth on the team with 19 points and 13 assists. He is tied for seventh in the league in helpers and tied for seventh with .59 assists per outing.
• He has a point in all but nine games this season. He is four points shy of the career-high 23 he had last season and has already surpassed the then-personal best 11 helpers he had a year ago.

Up Next
The Buckeyes will travel to East Lansing, Mich., for two games at Michigan State Feb. 7-8. The teams will meet at 6:30 p.m. in game one live on BTN and the second game will be a 4 p.m. tilt live on Fox Sports Detroit Plus and SportsTime Ohio.