No. 11 Men’s Hockey Beats No. 9 Miami, 5-4 – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 6, 2004
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Buckeye junior Lee Spector scored with 1:11 remaining in the third period to give the No. 11 Ohio State men’s hockey team a 5-4 victory over No. 9 Miami in front of 8,001 fans in Value City Arena Saturday. The Buckeyes’ nine seniors were honored in a postgame ceremony, as Ohio State closed out its regular-season schedule.
The win improves the Buckeyes’ record to 21-15-0 and 16-12-0 in league play to place fourth in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association final standings. Miami falls to 20-12-4 and 17-8-3. The RedHawks finish second in the league, one point behind Michigan, which lost to third-place Michigan State Saturday.
Paul Caponigri led the Buckeyes with three assists, Dan Knapp scored two goals and Sean Collins and Andrew Schembri each had two assists.
Senior goalie Mike Betz made 24 saves in the win to become Ohio State’s all-time leader in career saves with 3,273. He broke Dan Stergiou’s record of 3,261 set from 1973-76.
Miami took a 1-0 lead 11:08 into the period, as Todd Grant scored an unassisted goal. The Buckeyes tied the game with a power-play goal just under a minute later (12:01), when Knapp (So., Rochester, Mich.) scored, assisted by Schembri (Fr., Mississauga, Ontario) and Doug Andress (Sr., Iroquois Falls, Ontario). Ohio State put 10 shots on net in the period, Miami nine.
Ohio State outscored Miami in the middle period, 3-1, including two power-play goals. Rod Pelley scored with OSU on the man advantage, one-timing a Paul Caponigri (Sr., Oak Park, Ill.) pass. Sean Collins (Fr., Troy, Mich.) picked up the second assist on the goal. Knapp scored his second of the game at 13:10, set up by Scott May (Sr., Surrey, British Columbia) and Schembri. Chris Michael cut the Buckeyes’ lead to one with a power-play goal at 17:25, but Dave Steckel (Sr., West Bend, Wis.) tipped in a Collins shot scored less than a minute later, at 18:14, to regain OSU’s two-goal edge. The Buckeyes’ penalty killing was outstanding in the period, killing off two 5-on-3 power plays, one for 1:14 and a second for 51 seconds. OSU was outshot in the period, 14-8. In the third period, Miami’s Mike Kompon scored at 1:38 and 8:19 (on the power play) to tie the game at four. The teams skated even until Spector’s (Jr., Buffalo Grove, Ill.) goal at 18:49. Caponigri got the puck to Chris Olsgard (Sr., Seattle, Wash.), who threw the puck at the net, where it deflected in off Spector. The RedHawks pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but were unable to get the equalizer. Each team had five shots in the period. Miami was 1-for-2 on the power play in the period, while OSU did not have a power-play opportunity.
Betz (Elizabeth, Pa.) made 23 saves and allowed four goals. Brandon Crawford-West stopped 18-of-23 Buckeye shots in the loss.
In the game, Ohio State was 3-for-4 on the power play in just 1:11 of power-play time. The RedHawks were 2-for-7.
The Buckeyes return to action next weekend when they play host to Bowling Green in the first round of the CCHA playoffs. The teams will meet in a best-of-three-series at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 12-13 and at a time to be determined Sunday, March 14 if a third game is necessary. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students and children and can be purchased by calling the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office at 1 800 GO BUCKS or online at www.hangonsloopy.com.
Postgame Notes
Ohio State’s nine seniors honored postgame were: defenseman Doug Andress (Iroquois Falls, Ontario), forward Daymen Bencharski (Beaverlodge, Alberta), goalie Mike Betz (Elizabeth, Pa.), forward Paul Caponigri (Oak Park, Ill.), goalie Kelly Holowaty (Regina, Saskatchewan), forward Scott May (Surrey, British Columbia), forward Chris Olsgard (Seattle, Wash.), forward Dave Steckel (West Bend, Wis.) and defenseman Reed Whiting (Rochester, Minn.).
May and Andress moved into a tie for eighth all-time in OSU history in games played after competing in their 155 games as a Buckeye tonight. They are tied former teammate Jean-Francois Dufour.
Betz now own’s OSU’s records for career goalie wins, career saves, career shutouts, shutouts in a season and season goals-against average.
Steckel’s goal was his 14th of the year to tie him with Caponigri for the team lead. Steckel now has 99 points as a Buckeye.
OSU’s three power play goals in the game tie the team’s season high, also set at Bowling Green Nov. 29 and vs. Nebraska-Omaha Feb. 14.
Miami won the season series against the Buckeyes, 3-2. The Buckeyes won the first game, a 5-2 win in the Lefty McFadden Invitational consolation game Oct. 4, before Miami swept a home-and-home series Dec. 5-6 (2-1 and 2-4) and won the game at Oxford Friday, 4-3 in overtime.
Schembri’s two assists were a career best.
Postgame Quotes
Ohio State head coach John Markell
On Ohio State’s performance
“It’s about execution. Our guys worked harder and understood that good power-play execution can make a difference. Our penalty kills came up big and that can make the difference in a game this time of the year. Also, it’s okay to be aggressive, but we need to check it in the next five days. We will take the win and enjoy it.”
On Miami’s performance
“They came out with more passion (in the third) and gave it one last shot. But, we got the kinds of goals we needed tonight. We beat a good hockey club and played them tight.”
Ohio State senior alternate captain Chris Olsgard
On getting motivated for tonight’s contest
“We didn’t want anybody to come in and win a championship on our ice tonight. That was enough motivation for me to go out and give it my all.”
Ohio State junior Lee Spector
On the go ahead goal
“I was driving to the net and the puck just found its way into the net. I don’t really know who had the goal, but it went in and that is all that matters.”
On staying focused
“When they evened the game up at four, we just wanted to go in there and do what was working for us. I think when we play our kind of hockey we are a pretty good team.”
Miami head coach Enrico Blasi
On Ohio State’s play during the game
“I think Ohio State moved the puck well. They are a skilled team and they are a Top 10 team for a reason.”
On Miami’s mental state going into the third period
“We were just going to leave it all on the ice and I think we did. My initial reaction is disappointment to come so close, but not win the championship. I am extremely proud of my team, because they are a gutty team regardless of the situation.”
On Miami’s play in the third period
“We executed on the power play and our power play has been good all year, so it was not a surprise to us. We played with more passion and just played harder.”
Hockey Game Box Score (Final) Ohio State Men’s Hockey 2003-04 #9 Miami vs #11 Ohio State (Mar 06, 2004 at Columbus, Ohio)
Miami (20-12-4, 17-8-3 CCHA) vs. Ohio State (21-15-0,16-12-0 CCHA) Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Arena: Value City Arena Attendance:8001 Start time:8:05 pm End time:10:23 pm Total time:2:18
Goals by Period 1 2 3 Tot ———————————- Miami…………… 1 1 2 – 4 Ohio State………. 1 3 1 – 5
1st period – 1, MIA, Todd Grant/11 11:08. 2, OSU, Dan Knapp/10 (Andrew Schembri/10, Doug Andress/21) 12:01 (pp). Penalties – John Lenz, MIA (slashing) 11:43; Reed Whiting, OSU (hooking) 14:36; Mike Kompon, MIA (cth-roughing) 14:36; Lee Spector, OSU (roughing after the whistle) 17:19; Andy Greene, MIA (roughing after the whistle) 17:19; Stephen Dennis, MIA (obstruction-hooking) 17:56; Scott May, OSU (tripping) 18:19.
2nd period – 3, OSU, Rod Pelley/8 (Paul Caponigri/17, Sean Collins/10) 4:04 (pp). 4, OSU, Dan Knapp/11 (Scott May/19, Andrew Schembri/11) 13:10. 5, MIA, Chris Michael/7 (Mike Kompon/30, Greg Hogeboom/20) 17:25 (pp). 6, OSU, Dave Steckel/14 (Sean Collins/11, Paul Caponigri/18) 18:14 (pp). Penalties – Ben Tharp, MIA (interference) 3:45; JB Bittner, OSU (tripping) 6:17; Doug Andress, OSU (cross-checking) 7:03; Dave Steckel, OSU (tripping) 15:20; Matt Waddell, OSU (boarding) 16:29; Derek Edwardson, MIA (hooking) 18:03.
3rd period – 7, MIA, Mike Kompon/11 (Greg Hogeboom/21, Andy Nelson/12) 1:38. 8, MIA, Mike Kompon/12 (Chris Michael/7, Greg Hogeboom/22) 8:19 (pp). 9, OSU, Lee Spector/4 (Chris Olsgard/5, Paul Caponigri/19) 18:49. Penalties – Matt Waddell, OSU (cth-cross-checking) 2:21; Scott May, OSU (charging) 7:51.
Shots on goal – MIA 9-14-5 28; OSU 10-8-5 23.
Power plays – MIA 2 of 7; OSU 3 of 4.
Penalties – MIA 6 (12 min); OSU 9 (18 min).
Goalies – MIA, B. Crawford-West 18-6-3 (58:56 minutes, 23 shots-18 saves) , EMPTY NET (01:04, 0-0); OSU, Mike Betz 15-13-0 (60:00, 28-24).
A-8001 T-2:18 Three stars: 1. Dan Knapp 2. Mike Kompon 3. Lee Spector Referee:Matt Shegos Assistant Referee:John Philo; Jesse Berkebile Win-Mike Betz (15-13-0). Loss-B. Crawford-West (18-6-3).
