Ohio State
19-11-5
Wisconsin (B1G Tournament Quarterfinals)
14-19-2
Meyer Leads Buckeyes to 9-1 Win in B1G Tourney Series Opener
3/6/2020 11:49:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A four-goal, five-point night from senior Carson Meyer led the Buckeye charge in a 9-1 win over Wisconsin in game one of a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal best-of-three series Friday in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes, who had points from 10 players (six with multiple points) led 2-0 after the first and 6-0 after the second en route to the victory.
The Buckeyes take a 1-0 lead in the series, with game two set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena. Game three, if necessary, will be at 7 p.m. Sunday in VCA. Ohio State, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, is now 19-11-5 on the year, with the No. 7 seed Badgers 14-19-2.
Meyer had the first five-point game for a Buckeye since Hunter Bishop had a hat trick and two assists in a CCHA tournament win exactly 10 years ago (March 6, 2010). It was the first four-goal game for a Buckeye since Ron White lit the lamp four times vs. Lake Superior State Feb. 29, 1992.
Sophomore Quinn Preston had two goals and three points vs. the Badgers, while freshman Tate Singleton had three assists. Tanner Laczynski had a goal and an assist for two points and Austin Pooley and Matt Miller each had two helpers in the win. Tommy Nappier had 31 saves in the Buckeye net.
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
"It doesn't matter what the score is, it's just a win. We realize that with the team we're playing, they're going to be better tomorrow and we have to be better tomorrow too.
"I think we played different tonight. We played more aggressive, more detailed. We certainly weren't perfect, but we were able to turns some pucks over."
Quoting Buckeye senior Carson Meyer
"Last week, we had a lead but took our foot off [the pedal]. Tonight we did a good job of staying even keeled on the bench and got it done."
Quoting Buckeye junior Collin Peters
"We knew what we had to do. Coming in to playoffs is a different feeling; you have to come in and fight for your life and that's what we did."
After the B1G quarterfinal game one win over Wisconsin, Collin Peters, Coach Rohlik and Carson Meyer spoke with the media.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/dN67rgA3Mz
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
In the First … Collin Peters opened the scoring just nine seconds after the Buckeyes killed off a Badger power play, tallying off an assist from Carson Meyer. The goal was the first as a Buckeye for Peters. Grant Gabriele also assisted on the goal, which came at 7:41. Under two minutes later Meyer scored from in close, assisted by Tanner Laczynski and Tate Singleton. Ohio State outshot Wisconsin, 11-8, in the period.
In the Second … The Buckeyes scored four times in the second, with Meyer notching the first three, for a natural hat trick (plus one). After scoring on a 2-on-1 with Singleton at 1:02, Meyer raced in and converted on a breakaway at 4:42 and then picked up a loose puck on a power play and tallied at 13:54. It was his B1G-best eighth power play goal of the season. Quinn Preston notched his first career shorthanded goal at 17:28 for a 6-0 Ohio State lead. Matt Miller sent the puck down the ice and Ronnie Hein raced to it, finding Preston at the front of the net for his 14th goal of the season. Buckeye goalie Tommy Nappier stopped all 16 Wisconsin shots on goal in the period, with Ohio State putting 11 on net.
In the Third … Just 29 seconds into the third Preston tallied on the rebound of a shot by Miller. Austin Pooley also assisted on the goal. Singleton set up Laczynski for his 11th goal of the year at 3:14. Wyatt Ege notched the Buckeyes' ninth goal of the night, converting on the power play at 12:12, with assists from Preston and Pooley. The Badgers broke up the shutout on a Wyatt Kalynuk goal at 12:25. Ohio State had the shot advantage, 10-8, in the period.
Shots … Each team ended the game with 32 shots on goal. Nappier played all 60 minutes for the Buckeyes and had 31 saves. Jack Berry started for the Badgers and had 10 saves on 14 shots in 24:42, Daniel Lebedeff had seven stops on 10 shots in 15:47 and Johan Blomquist made six saves on eight attempts in 19:31. Ohio State had 15 shot blocks, led by Peters, Miguel Fidler and Meyer with two each.
Special Teams … The Buckeyes were 2-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Buckeye This and That … Meyer and Singleton were both +5 in the win, the best for a Buckeye since Josh Healey at Niagara Oct. 28, 2016 and just the fourth and fifth +5 outings since 1999 … … Ohio State's nine goals were the most since a 10-2 win over Niagara Oct. 28, 2016; the eight-goal win was the most since that game … Singleton had a career-high three assists and points and leads Ohio State freshmen with 17 points on the year … Preston now has three career two-goal games, with all three this season; it was also his third career three-point outing … Pooley had two assists and points for the first time since Dec. 2, 2017; he is on a four-game point streak … Laczynski, on a four-game goal-scoring and point streak, leads the Buckeyes with 22 assists and 33 points and has eight multiple-point games this season … Miller had his seventh career two-assist night; he leads the Buckeye defensemen with 17 points … Meyer has a point in each of his last four games and is second on the team with 30 points on the year, with a Buckeye-best 16 goals.
A look at (nearly) all the goals tonight (Missing goal #2 (of 4) for Carson Meyer).
Save that puck!
Carson Meyer with the pass, Colin Peters with the finish for his first career goal as a Buckeye and a 1-0 Buckeye lead. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/l09bepRZpP
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Senior Carson Meyer's 13th goal of the year put the Buckeyes up 2-0 in the second. The Powell native has two points on the night and now has 27 on the year. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/wCME607oVa
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Breakaway goal for Carson Meyer's first career HAT TRICK as a Buckeye. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/gIt0x9231J
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
And then … goal number FOUR for Carson Meyer. An unassisted power play tally.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/AQt8Foxkbi
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Quinn Preston notched his first career shorthanded goal, Ohio State's second of the year, in the second period. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/HSfhY4Zi5p
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Quinn Preston scored early in the third for his third career two-goal game. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/tm0HGJfFKw
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Tanner Laczynksi's 11th goal and 33rd point of the season came early in the third.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/99JvnH2MVQ
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
Not to be forgotten … this didn't get tweeted in the third period …
Wyatt Ege's power play goal, his fourth of the year, set up by Preston and Pooley.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/PCmrXW5wmO
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) March 7, 2020
