Men’s Hockey Opens CCHA Playoffs with 6-2 Win over Northern Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 2, 2007
Final Stats
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Buckeye senior captain Sean Collins had three points, including a goal and two assists, to lead the Ohio State men’s hockey team to a 6-2 victory over Northern Michigan Friday at OSU Ice Rink in Columbus. The game opened the Central Collegiate Hockey Association first-round, best-of-three series, giving the Buckeyes a one-game lead. Game 2 will be at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in OSU Ice Rink.
The No. 7-seed Buckeyes now are 15-15-5 on the year. The No. 10-seed Wildcats fall to 13-22-2.
The Wildcats controlled play to begin the game, but were unable to score, as Ohio State freshman goalie Joseph Palmer (Yorkville, N.Y.) made a number of outstanding saves. After NMU’s Darin Olver was assessed a 5-minute major for kneeing at 12:29, the Buckeyes took advantage of the power play to open the scoring. Collins (Troy, Mich.) backhanded the rebound of a Beaudoin (Sr., Sherbrooke, Quebec) shot, with Sam Campbell (Jr., Hamilton, Ontario) picking up the second assist on the goal, which came at 15:45. The Buckeyes ended the period with 11 shots, including seven on the power play, while the Wildcats put seven shots on goal.
John Dingle (Jr., Shaker Heights, Ohio) put the Buckeyes ahead, 2-1, when he deflected a Tyson Strachan (Sr., Melfort, Saskatchewan) shot from the point past NMU goalie Bill Zaniboni at 4:06 of the second period, just six seconds after a power-play had started. Collins had the second assist on the tally. Beaudoin made the score 3-0 Ohio State at 7:36. Johann Kroll’s (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) shot from the point was initially saved by Zaniboni, but it trickled through his legs into the crease, where Beaudoin knocked it home for his team-best 14th goal of the year. Senior Kenny Bernard (Sarnia, Ontario) had the second assist on the goal. Northern got on the board just seconds after the Buckeyes killed off a 2-minute 5-on-3 power play. Matt Maunu scored at 16:43, assisted by TJ Miller and Rob Hehtinen. Ohio State outshot Northern Michigan in the period, 14-12. The Buckeyes held the Wildcats scoreless on three power-play chances in the stanza, allowing just four power-play shots.
The Buckeyes outscored the Wildcats, 3-1, in the third period. Tom Fritsche (Jr., Parma, Ohio) picked up a Northern Michigan clearing attempt and scored unassisted at 6:27, followed by Tommy Goebel’s (Jr., Parma, Ohio) rebound goal at 10:30, assisted by Matt McIlvane (Jr., Naperville, Ill.) and Collins. Mike Santorelli scored the Wildcats’ second goal of the game at 18:19. Jason DeSantis (Jr., Oxford, Mich.) closed out the scoring with a tally from the point with 51 seconds remaining, assisted by Kroll and Mathieu Picard (Fr., St. Isidore, Quebec). Ohio State had 18 shots on goal in the third period and held the Wildcats to five.
The Buckeyes outshot the Wildcats in the game, 43-24. Palmer had 22 saves in the win while playing all 60 minutes. Zaniboni took the loss, playing the first 27:36 and allowing three goals while making 19 saves. Brian Stewart closed out the game, with 18 saves and three goals allowed in 32:24.
Ohio State converted 2-of-5 power-play chances in the game and held the Wildcats scoreless on four opportunities.
Game Notes
If necessary, Game 3 of the series will be at 7:05 p.m. Sunday in OSU Ice Rink.
Collins’ three points tied his season high, first set Nov. 25 at Rensselaer. He now has a career-best and team-high 28 points this season. Collins moved into eighth place in the Buckeye record book for career points by a defenseman with 88.
Kroll’s two helpers tied his career best for assists and points in a game, first set Oct. 21, 2004 vs. Miami.
The Buckeyes have at least one power-play goal in 11 consecutive games. They have converted 15-of-67 (22.4 percent) chances over the stretch.
Beaudoin now has a team-best three gamewinning goals this season and has 11 in his Buckeye career.
The game was the Buckeyes’ first official contest in the OSU Ice Rink since Dec. 5, 1998.
Postgame Quotes
Ohio State head coach John Markell
On the game
“It’s a tough game. One thing about Northern Michigan is they work hard every night. They are a big and physical team and they like to control the boards. I thought (Joseph) Palmer made great saves in the first period.”
On the OSU Ice Rink
“It’s home and that is what we earned. It was loud tonight because the people here are season-long fans.”
Ohio State player quotes
Sean Collins, senior defenseman
On Northern Michigan
“They came out hard, but after the first power play things started going our way. They are a physical team so we expected it to be a tough game.”
Tommy Goebel, junior forward
On the game
“Northern Michigan is really good down low so we have to keep it off the glass. Our power play goal helped our momentum.”
Hockey Game Box Score (Final) The Automated ScoreBook Northern Michigan vs Ohio State (Mar 02, 2007 at Columbus, Ohio)
Northern Michigan (13-22-2) vs. Ohio State (15-15-5) Date: Mar 02, 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Arena: OSU Ice Rink Attendance:779 Start time:7:05 pm End time:9:17 pm Total time:2:12
Goals by Period 1 2 3 Tot ———————————- Northern Michigan… 0 1 1 – 2 Ohio State………. 1 2 3 – 6
1st period – 1, OSU, Sean Collins/9 (Mathieu Beaudoin/10, Sam Campbell/5) 15:45 (pp). Penalties – Jason DeSantis, OSU (cth roughing) 4:46; Darin Olver, NMU (kneeing) 12:29; Matt Siddall, NMU (interference) 17:12.
2nd period – 2, OSU, John Dingle/6 (Tyson Strachan/11, Sean Collins/18) 4:06 (pp). 3, OSU, Mathieu Beaudoin/14 (Johann Kroll/8, Kenny Bernard/11) 7:36. 4, NMU, Matt Maunu/5 (TJ Miller/11, Rob Lehtinen/11) 16:43. Penalties – Derek May, NMU (holding) 4:00; Matt McIlvane, OSU (o-tripping) 14:38; Jason DeSantis, OSU (slashing) 14:38; Tommy Goebel, OSU (hooking) 17:41.
3rd period – 5, OSU, Tom Fritsche/5 6:27. 6, OSU, Tommy Goebel/12 (Matt McIlvane/10, Sean Collins/19) 10:30. 7, NMU, Mike Santorelli/29 (Matt Siddall/15, Rob Lehtinen/11) 18:19. 8, OSU, Jason DeSantis/5 (Johann Kroll/12, Mathieu Picard/7) 19:09. Penalties – Alan Dorich, NMU (holding) 8:27.
Shots on goal – NMU 7-12-5 24; OSU 11-14-18 43.
Power plays – NMU 0 of 4; OSU 2 of 5.
Penalties – NMU 4 (11 min); OSU 4 (8 min).
Goalies – NMU, Bill Zaniboni 12-20-2 (27:36 minutes, 22 shots-19 saves) , Brian Stewart (32:24, 21-18); OSU, Joseph Palmer 15-13-4 (60:00, 24-22).
Penalty shots – None.
A-779 T-2:12 Three stars: 1. None 2. None 3. None Referee:Kevin Hall Assistant Referee:Brent Gawlik; Neil Stafford Win-Joseph Palmer (15-13-4). Loss-Bill Zaniboni (12-20-2). ID-455350
