Men’s Hockey Beats RedHawks, 4-1 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 25, 2002
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team, led by three points from R.J. Umberger, defeated the Miami RedHawks tonight in Value City Arena, 4-1, in a Central Collegiate Hockey Association game. Daymen Bencharski had two goals and Scott May and Eric Skaug each had two assists in the win, which stopped Ohio State’s two-game losing streak. The game was Ohio State’s last regular-season home game of the campaign.
The win improves Ohio State’s record to 17-14-4 overall and 12-11-4 in CCHA play. Miami drops to 11-20-2 overall, 8-17-2 in the league. The Buckeyes remain in seventh place in the league, one point behind sixth-place Western Michigan. The Broncos have a two-game home-and-home series with Michigan this weekend to close out their schedule. The Buckeyes and RedHawks will close out the regular season Friday with a game at 7:35 p.m. in Goggin Ice Arena in Oxford, Ohio. (Note earlier schedules had the game set for Saturday, March 2.)
Ohio State got on the board 5:11 into the game, as Bencharski put in the rebound of an Umberger shot for his 10th goal of the season. Scott Titus also assisted on the goal, as he got the puck to Umberger to start the play. That was the only scoring in the period. Ohio State put 15 shots on net, while Miami had nine.
The Buckeyes went up 3-0 with two goals less than seven minutes into the second period. May scored at 2:06, assisted by Dave Steckel and Skaug. Skaug got the puck out of the OSU zone and Steckel led May with the long pass to allow him to break down the right side and put the puck past Miami’s David Burleigh. Umberger scored the Buckeyes third goal, his team-best 18th of the season, taking a May pass with the Buckeyes on the power play and blasting it past Burleigh. Thomas Welsh also assisted on the play. The RedHawks got on the board at 10:53, with Pavel Nejezchleb scoring off a RedHawks faceoff win by Chris Knupp in the Buckeye zone. Matt Medvecz had an assist on the play. Miami outshot OSU, 10-6, in the stanza.
There was no scoring in the third period until Bencharski scored an empty-net goal. Skaug started the play and Umberger passed across the ice to Bencharski, who scored while sliding on his stomach after being dragged down by a RedHawk. There were no penalties called in the period, as OSU outshot Miami, 9-6.
The Buckeyes were 1-for-3 with the man advantage and held Miami scoreless on five opportunities. For the game, OSU put 30 shots on net and allowed the RedHawks 25. Mike Betz made 24 saves for the Buckeyes. Burleigh, who played 26:15, allowed three goals and made 15 saves. David Bowen played 32:27, stopping all 11 shots he faced.
Postgame Quotes
Miami head coach Enrico Blasi
“Ohio State was just the better team tonight. I thought the first two periods Ohio State was flying and hitting us hard. They were really ready to play.”
Ohio State head coach John Markell
“We played well for playing three games in four nights. I thought we were a little tired in the third – maybe the traveling took a little out of us. I thought Miami might have had a little more spunk in the end but our defense did a good job of keeping the puck outside.”
Ohio State senior defenseman Jason Crain
“We have to bring the same attitude and intensity on Friday. I think in the game in Oxford, we have to get after them early because they always play tough in their own barn.”
Ohio State sophomore center R.J. Umberger
“We have to set aside our away record (4-10-0) right now because it’s a one-game playoff for us. We have to take that attitude and go in there on Friday and win it.”
Hockey Game Box Score (Final) Ohio State Hockey 2001-02 Miami vs Ohio State (Feb 25, 2002 at Columbus, Ohio)
Miami (11-20-2, 8-17-2) vs. Ohio State (17-14-4, 12-11-4) Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Arena: Value City Arena Attendance:9859 Start time:7:35 pm End time:9:49 pm Total time:2:14
Goals by Period 1 2 3 Total Miami 0 1 0 1 Ohio State 1 2 1 4
1st period – 1, OSU, Daymen Bencharski/10 (R.J. Umberger/17, Scott Titus/6) 5:11. Penalties – Doug Andress, OSU (holding) 12:42, Danny Stewart, MIA (checking from behind) 13:42, Daymen Bencharski, OSU (slashing) 19:48.
2nd period – 2, OSU, Scott May/11 (Dave Steckel/16, Eric Skaug/7) 2:06. 3, OSU, R.J. Umberger/18 (Scott May/15, Thomas Welsh/2) 6:15 (pp). 4, MIA, Pavel Nejezchleb/1 (Matt Medvecz/4, Chris Knupp/8) 10:53. Penalties – David Burleigh, MIA (roughing) 5:29, Danny Stewart, MIA (high sticking) 8:48, Jason Crain, OSU (high sticking) 13:05, TEAM, OSU (too many on ice) 15:41, Jason Crain, OSU (roughing) 19:21.
3rd period – 5, OSU, Daymen Bencharski/11 (R.J. Umberger/18, Eric Skaug/8) 19:32 (empty net). Penalties –
Shots on goal – MIA 9-10-6 25, OSU 15-6-9 30.
Power plays – MIA 0 of 5, OSU 1 of 3.
Penalties – MIA 3 (6 min), OSU 5 (10 min).
Goalies – MIA, David Burleigh 10-18-2 (26:15 minutes, 18 shots-15 saves) , David Bowen (32:27, 11-11) , EMPTY NET (01:18, 0-0), OSU, Mike Betz 17-14-4 (60:00, 25-24).
A-9859 T-2:14 Three stars: 1. R.J. Umberger 2. Scott May 3. Daymen Bencharski Referee:Brian Aaron Assistant Referee:Dave Kronenberg, Butch Mousseaux Win-Mike Betz (17-14-4). Loss-David Burleigh (10-18-2).
