Buckeyes Back in Action in Ohio Hockey Classic – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 28, 2005
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Faceoff
The No. 19-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team (9-6-2, 6-4-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) hosts the second annual Ohio Hockey Classic Thursday and Friday at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. Thursday, the Buckeyes will take on Holy Cross (9-3-1, 7-2-1 Atlantic Hockey) at 8:05 p.m., preceded by a game between No. 2-ranked Miami (12-2-2, 10-1-1 CCHA) and Rensselaer (8-6-3, 2-1-3 ECAC Hockey League) at 5:05 p.m. Friday, the winners will meet in the championship game at 8:05 p.m., with the third-place game at 5:05 p.m.
Nationwide Arena, home of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, has a seating capacity of 18,136 for hockey. It is about 10 minutes away from Value City Arena, the Buckeyes’ home rink that seats 17,500 for hockey games.
Get Your Tickets Here
Reserved tickets for the tournament are $11 a day and include both games. They may be purchased at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 614-431-3600. Tickets also are available at the Blue Jackets Zones located at the Chiller Dublin (7001 Dublin Park Drive in Dublin), Chiller Easton (3600 Chiller Lane in Columbus) and Chiller North (8144 Highfield Drive in Lewis Center). Tickets also will be available at the arena on gameday.
The Details
If an Ohio Hockey Classic game remains tied after regulation, the teams will go to a sudden-victory 5-minute overtime period. If a winner still is not decided after overtime, the game officially ends as a tie. For tournament purposes, a shootout will then be held to determine a winner. The Broadcast
The Buckeyes’ games in the Ohio Hockey Classic will be broadcast by WOSU Radio, with Paul Barnes (play-by-play) and former Buckeye Gord Rivington (analysis) on the call. Both games can be heard online at wosu.org. Ohio State’s game Thursday may be joined in progress on the radio at 820 AM. If OSU plays in the championship game, it will be both on the radio and online. If the Buckeyes are in the third-place game, it will just be online.
Both Ohio State games in the tournament will be televised live on The Ohio News Network, with Neil Sika (play-by-play) and former Buckeye John Mowat (analysis) calling the action.
Live stats from all four games of the tournament will be available as well. They can be accessed from ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Last Time Out
The Ohio Hockey Classic marks the Buckeyes’ first game action since a two-game sweep of Union Dec. 10-11, a break of 17 days. Ohio State downed the Dutchmen 2-1 and 6-1.
The 2004 Ohio Hockey Classic
Colorado College won the inaugural Ohio Hockey Classic in 2004. The format matched two Central Collegiate Hockey Association teams, Ohio State and Miami, against two Western Collegiate Hockey Association squads, Colorado College and Minnesota State. Rather than a true tournament setup, with winners and losers facing on day two, the team with the best record won the title.
On the first day, the Buckeyes beat the Mavericks, 5-1, and the Tigers downed the RedHawks, 4-3. On day two, both games were tied after both regulation and a 5-minute overtime period and went to a shootout to determine the winner. Miami and Minnesota State tied, 3-all, before the Mavericks won the shootout, 3-1. Ohio State and Colorado College tied, 2-all, before the Tigers won the shootout, 3-2, to clinch the championship.
Colorado College forward Brett Sterling was named the tournament MVP. Buckeye forward Tom Fritsche and goalie Dave Caruso were named to the all-tournament team and were joined by Tigers Sterling and forward Marty Sertich, Miami defenseman Andy Greene and defenseman Kyle Peto from Minnesota State.
A Look at the Buckeyes
The Buckeyes are 9-6-2 on the year and are 6-4-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. In its last time out, Ohio State swept Union at home in Value City Arena, winning 2-1 and 6-1 Dec. 10-11. OSU is averaging 3.06 goals a game and ranks seventh in the country in scoring defense, allowing 2.18 goals an outing.
Sophomore forward Tom Fritsche leads the Buckeyes with 11 assists and 17 points, however, he will miss the Ohio Hockey Classic while playing for Team USA in the World Junior Championship in British Columbia Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
Junior forward Mathieu Beaudoin is tied with Fritsche with a team-best six goals and ranks third on the team with 13 points. Junior forward Andrew Schembri ranks second in assists (9) and points (14). Three other Buckeyes have double-digit points – sophomore forward Domenic Maiani (4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points), senior forward Rod Pelley (5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points) and sophomore Matt McIlvane (2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points). Junior Sean Collins leads the defensemen with nine points, including four goals.
In net, senior Dave Caruso has started 14 games, with a 1.97 goals-against average and .909 save percentage, along with a 7-5-2 record. Sophomore Ian Keserich has started three games, including both Union matchups, and has a 2.66 goals-against average and .900 save percentage with a 2-1-0 ledger.
John Markell, a 1979 graduate of Bowling Green, is in his 11th full season at the helm of the Buckeyes. He has a career and school ledger of 209-179-34.
Buckeyes vs. OHC teams
Ohio State and Holy Cross never have met on the ice.
The Buckeyes have played Rensselaer twice, with the last meeting Nov. 7, 1980, in Troy, N.Y., an 8-5 RPI win. The first meeting between the teams was in the RPI Tournament Dec. 30, 1977, when the teams tied, 5-all.
Ohio State leads the series with Miami, 54-48-7, with the RedHawks sweeping the Buckeyes earlier this season. Miami won in Oxford, 3-1, Nov. 4 and in Columbus, 4-1, Nov. 5. In neutral-site games, OSU leads 3-2-0. The teams last met on neutral ice in a regular-season tournament game Oct. 4, 2003, a 5-3 Buckeye win in the Lefty McFadden Invitational in Dayton, Ohio. The Buckeyes and RedHawks will meet two more times this season, facing off in Columbus Jan. 10 and in Oxford Feb. 14.
A Look at the Crusaders
Holy Cross, located in Worcester, Mass., was 9-3-1 overall and 7-2-1 in Atlantic Hockey action in the first part of the campaign. The squad has averaged 3.38 goals a game and is eighth in the nation in team defense, allowing just 2.23 goals an outing. The Crusaders are tied for sixth in the country on the power play, converting 22.2 percent of their chances, and rank third on the penalty kill, stopping 90.8 percent of its opponents’ chances. The Crusaders last played Dec. 2-3, sweeping Canisius on the road, 4-2 and 5-1.
Senior forward Pierre Napert-Frenette has a team-best 11 assists and 18 points. Senior forward Tyler McGregor is second in scoring with 17 points and is first with 11 goals. Junior Jon Landry leads the blueliners and is third on the team with 12 points, including nine assists. Junior forward James Sixsmith (2 goals, 9 assists) and senior forward Blair Bartlett (1g, 10a) are tied for fourth with 11 points each. Bartlett’s 10 assists rank second on the team. McGregor ranks in the Top 5 in the nation with seven power-play goals.
In net, senior Tony Quesada has played in nine games, with a 6-2-1 ledger, 2.32 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Classmate Ben Conway has seen action in four games, with a 3-1-0 record, 2.01 gaa and .919 svpct.
Paul Pearl, a 1989 graduate of Holy Cross, is in his 11th year at the helm of his alma mater. He has a career and school record of 163-141-30.
In the League
Holy Cross competes in the Atlantic Hockey conference, where it is joined by American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Connecticut, Mercyhurst and Sacred Heart.
OSU is 3-1 all-time against current AH teams, including a sweep of Sacred Heart last season and a 1-1 ledger vs. Mercyhurst.
A Look at the RedHawks
Miami ended the first part of its season 12-2-2, ranked second in the nation in two national polls and in first place in the CCHA with a 10-1-1 conference record. The RedHawks are averaging 3.25 goals a game and are second in the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to 1.62 goals a game. The team also is second in the nation on the penalty kill, stopping 91.3 percent of its opponents chances. In its last action, Miami tied St. Lawrence Dec. 9 and beat Clarkson, 2-1, Dec. 10, at home in Oxford, Ohio.
Sophomore forward Nathan Davis and senior defenseman Andy Greene share the team scoring lead with 15 points. Davis, who will miss the Ohio Hockey Classic while playing in the World Junior Championship for Team USA, has a team-best eight goals this season. Sophomore defenseman Mitch Ganzak is first on the team with 12 assists and is tied for third in scoring with sophomore forward Ryan Jones with 13 points each. Jones is tied with senior forward Matt Davis for second in goals with seven each. Junior forward Matt Christie (4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points), junior forward Marty Guerin (6g, 5a, 11p) and senior forward Matt Davis (7g, 3a, 10p) all have reached the 10-point mark this season.
The RedHawk goaltending duo of freshman Jeff Zatkoff and sophomore Charlie Effinger has been among the best in the nation so far this year, as each ranks in the Top 4 in the country in goals-against average. Zatkoff has played in nine games, with a 1.68 goals-against average, .936 save percentage and 7-2-0 record. Effinger, with seven games played, has a 1.40 gaa, .947 svpct. and 5-0-2 ledger.
Enrico Blasi, a 1994 graduate of Miami, is in his sixth year at the helm of his alma mater. He has a career and school record of 100-91-16.
A Look at the Engineers
Rensselaer enters the Ohio Hockey Classic 8-6-3 on the year and 2-1-3 in ECAC Hockey League action. The squad last played Dec. 10, downing Rochester Institute of Technology, 10-7, at home in Troy, N.Y. The Engineers are averaging 3.53 goals a game to rank 10th in the nation and the team is allowing 3.12 goals an outing.
Offensively, senior forward Kevin Croxton leads the way for the Engineers with 17 assists and 28 points. He shares the team goal-scoring lead with junior forward Oren Eizenman and sophomore forward Jonathan Ornelas with 11 goals each. Eizenman is second on the team with 15 assists and in points with 26, while senior defenseman Brad Farynuk is third on the team with 11 helpers and ranks fourth with 14 points. Ornelas is third in points with 18 and has a team-best five power-play scores.
In net, freshman Mathias Lange has seen the majority of the action, playing in 15 games. He has a 2.57 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and 7-4-3 record. Sophomore Jordan Alford has played in four games, with a 1-2 record, 5.04 gaa and .842 svpct.
Colgate graduate (1982) Dan Fridgen is in his 12th season as the head coach of the Engineers. He has a school and career record of 205-182-35.
A League of their own
Rensselaer is joined in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League by Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Quinnipiac, St. Lawrence, Union and Yale.
The Buckeyes are 27-20-7 all-time vs. current ECACHL teams, including a two-game sweep of Union Dec. 10-11. The Buckeyes were 0-2-1 against ECACHL squads last year, with an 0-1-1 ledger at Clarkson and a loss to Cornell in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Going Downtown
The Buckeyes are 3-0-1 all-time in games played in Nationwide Arena. In the first round of the CCHA playoffs in 2003, Ohio State swept Nebraska-Omaha, 4-1 and 3-1 March 14-15, 2003. Last season, OSU was 1-0-1 in the Ohio Hockey Classic, beating Minnesota State (5-1) and tying Colorado College (2-2).
Home For the Holidays
This is the second consecutive season the Buckeyes will remain in Columbus for a December tournament after four consecutive appearances in the Everblades College Classic in Naples, Fla.
This marks the eighth consecutive year Ohio State will appear in a holiday tournament. Prior to playing in the 2000, `01, `02 and `03 Everblades College Classic OSU played in the 1999 Vermont Hockey Classic and the 1998 Mariucci Classic in Minneapolis, Minn.
USA! USA!
Buckeye sophomore and leading scorer Tom Fritsche will miss the Ohio Hockey Classic as he competes for Team USA in the World Junior Championship. He is the fourth Buckeye selected to the team, joining NHL first round draft picks R.J. Umberger (2001, 02), Ryan Kesler (2003, 04) and Dave Steckel (2001, 02). Fritsche won a silver medal with the U.S. in the 2004 World Under-18 Championship. He is first for the Buckeyes in assists (11) and points (17) and is tied for the team lead with six goals.
In Team USA’s 11-2 win over Norway Monday in the squad’s first game of the tournament, Fritsche posted an assist. The team returns to action against Finland at 11 p.m. EST Wednesday before games against Switzerland at 7 p.m. EST Friday and Canada at 7 p.m. Saturday. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Jan. 2, with the semifinals Jan. 3 and medal games Jan. 5.
In the Not So Distant Past
The Buckeyes entered the December break with a 7-2-1 ledger in their last 10 games, including three series sweeps. The Buckeyes averaged 3.3 goals a game over the last 10, while allowing just 1.7 goals an outing, to go along with 17.3 penalty minutes a game. The team had two shutouts and three one-goal games, allowing more than two goals just twice (both in losses).
A Look back
Ohio State swept Union College Dec. 10-11 in Value City Arena in Columbus, posting 2-1 and 6-1 wins.
The Buckeyes downed the Dutchmen, 2-1, Dec. 10. The Buckeyes led 1-0 at the end of the first period on the strength of a Sean Collins goal. Ohio State was ahead 2-0 at the end of the second after Mathieu Beaudoin scored on a breakaway. The Dutchmen cut the Buckeyes’ lead to one with a power-play, extra-attacker goal with 1:10 remaining in regulation, but the Buckeyes held on for the win. Buckeye junior Dave Barton and sophomore Matt McIlvane each had two assists in the game. Sophomore goalie Ian Keserich made 30 saves for the win.
Dec. 11, five Buckeyes had multiple points, led by Tom Fritsche’s goal and two assists, as Ohio State downed Union, 6-1, Sunday afternoon in Value City Arena.
Ohio State took a 1-0 lead just 2:31 into the first period, when Tom Fritsche scored. Bryce Anderson made the score 2-0 at 11:25. Rod Pelley scored with less than two seconds remaining in the period, one-timing a Domenic Maiani pass with the Buckeyes on the power play.
The Buckeyes outscored Union, 2-1, in the second period. Knapp scored at 5:50. before Union got on the board at 10:55 with a power-play goal. Matt Waddell closed out the scoring in the period with a goal at 19:08.
The Buckeyes held the 5-1 lead until Bernard scored shorthanded 16:59 into the third period. Union had 18 shots in the final period, but Keserich (Parma, Ohio) kept the Dutchmen off the scoreboard. The Buckeyes outshot the Dutchmen in the game, 36-31. Keserich ended the game with 30 saves in all 60 minutes.
Honored
Junior defenseman Sean Collins was named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Defenseman of the Week after leading the Buckeyes in the sweep over Union, posting two points and a +4 rating.
Collins led the Buckeye defensive effort in the sweep of the Dutchmen, as the Buckeyes allowed just two power-play goals in the two games combined. Collins blocked a team-best five shots in the series and was on the ice for five of the Buckeyes’ eight goals on the weekend. OSU stopped 12-of-14 Dutchmen power-play chances in the series.
Offensively, Collins scored his fourth goal of the season, marking the 50th point of his career, in the win Saturday. He assisted on the game-winning tally Sunday. Collins was +2 in each game for a team-best +4 rating in the series.
Between the Pipes
Sophomore goalie Ian Keserich went 2-0 against Union Dec. 10-11 in the first back-to-back starts of his Buckeye career. He had 30 saves in each game vs. the Dutchmen, allowing just one power-play goal in each game. The 30 saves were season highs for the Buckeyes and were one shy of his personal-best of 31 set Nov. 14, 2004 vs. Northern Michigan. Included in Keserich’s 30 saves Dec. 11 were 18 in the third period, another Buckeye season high.
A Team Effort
Thirteen players had at least one point in the Buckeyes’ sweep of Union Dec. 10-11 in their last time out. Seven Buckeyes had a multiple-point game, including five in the series finale. Tom Fritsche had a team-best three points Dec. 11, tying the squad’s season high. Three others had two-assist games (Matt McIlvane and Dave Barton Dec. 10, Domenic Maiani Dec. 11), while Kenny Bernard, Bryce Anderson and Dan Knapp each had a goal and an assist in game two.
Back on Track
Senior forward Dan Knapp had a goal and an assist against Union Dec. 11, marking his first points of the season. He missed the first 13 games of the season while recovering from an injury. In 103 career games, Knapp has 85 points, including 32 goals and 53 assists.
Buzzer-Beater
Buckeye senior Rod Pelley has scored two last-second power-play goals this season. Against Notre Dame Nov. 26, he scored at 19:59 of the first period to put the Buckeyes ahead, 2-0. In the game vs. Union Dec. 11, Pelley scored at 19:58 of the first period to lift the Buckeyes to a 3-0 lead entering intermission. Pelley is tied for third on the squad with five goals this season and shares the team lead with three power-play scores.
It’s Been a While
Junior Bryce Anderson had a goal and an assist for two points Dec. 11 vs. Union. It matched his career best, last set Jan. 16, 2004 vs. Lake Superior State.
Classmate Dave Barton had two assists vs. the Dutchmen Dec. 10, matching his career best set three times prior, but with the most recent Oct. 21, 2004 vs. Miami.
Shooter
Junior Tyson Strachan has a career-best 31 shots this season through just 17 games. He had a career-best five shots against Union Dec. 10 and then added four vs. the Dutchmen Dec. 11. It was his third game with four shots, matching the mark first set March 18, 2004 vs. Notre Dame and tied vs. Alabama-Huntsville Dec. 2. Strachan has a personal-best three goals this season.
Getting Ahead
The Buckeyes tied their season high for goals in a period with three in the first stanza Dec. 11 vs. Union and led 3-0 entering the first intermission. The squad is 8-1-2 when scoring first this season and 7-0-1 when leading after the first period.
With the Advantage
The Buckeyes had their streak of consecutive games with a power play goal stopped at five in the first game vs. Union. The team rebounded Sunday, going 1-for-4 with the man advantage. The squad is 11-for-56 on the power play in the last seven games, converting 19.6 percent.
A First
The Buckeyes were outshot by Union, 31-22, Dec. 10. It marked the first time in 16 games this season the Buckeyes were outshot, as OSU had a season-low 22 shots in the game. Union’s 31 shots on goal tied an OSU opponent high, first set by Miami Nov. 4. The Buckeyes’ three shots in the first period were a team season low.
The team rebounded, outshooting Union, 36-31, in game two Dec. 11. This season, the Buckeyes are averaging 35.7 shots a game, while allowing 22.9 shots an outing.
Shorty
Junior Kenny Bernard scored a shorthanded goal in the Buckeyes’ win over Union Dec. 11, marking the first of his career and the Buckeyes’ third of the season.
What a Help
Sophomore Matt McIlvane had his third two-assist game of the season and his first since Nov. 26 at Notre Dame against Union Dec. 10. His career best for assists is three, set Oct. 21, 2004 vs. Miami. McIlvane has a career-best two goals and eight assists to rank fifth (tied) on the team with a personal-best 10 points.
Three-for-Two
The Buckeyes are undefeated when scoring two goals this season, going 1-0-2. The squad tied Bowling Green 2-2 Oct. 21 and Alabama-Huntsville by the same score Dec. 4 and beat Union, 2-1, Dec. 10.
Away from the CCHA
Ohio State is 2-2-1 in non-conference games this season, with a series split at Colorado College, an 0-1-1 mark vs. Alabama-Huntsville and the series sweep of Union.The Buckeyes are wrapping up a six-game streak of non-conference games.
Blueline Business
The Buckeyes are allowing their opponents 2.2 goals a game this season to rank seventh in the nation. The squad has held its opponents to two goals or less in 12 of 17 games, with two shutouts and four games with just one goal allowed.
Home Sweet Home
The Buckeyes’ games in Nationwide Arena are their fifth and sixth in a row in the state of Ohio. The team does not leave the state for a game until playing at Alaska Fairbanks Jan. 20-21. After the Ohio Hockey Classic, the Buckeyes have a home-and-home series with Bowling Green and a three-game homestand with a single game vs. Miami and a two-game series with Nebraska-Omaha. The Scarlet and Gray last played out of the Buckeye State Nov. 25-26 when they played at Notre Dame, posting two wins.
Where he Ranks
Senior goalie Dave Caruso ranks seventh in the nation in goals-against average this season, allowing 1.97 goals a game. Caruso is Ohio State’s all-time goals-against average leader (2.02) and ranks third in Ohio State history with eight career shutouts. He has 46 wins as a Buckeye to rank sixth in OSU annals.
Earlier this season Caruso had a career-best shutout streak of 167 minutes 16 seconds and posted back-to-back shutouts of Lake Superior State. He was the first Buckeye goalie to post shutouts in two consecutive games since Bill McKenzie in 1972.
In the Box
Senior Nate Guenin ranks eighth in program history in career penalty minutes with 360. Guenin has led the Buckeyes in penalty minutes in each of the last three years and is second on the team with 47 this year.
A Team Effort
This season, each Buckeye skater that has played in at least four games has at least one point on the year. Fifteen Buckeyes have scored a goal.
A Quick Recap
The Buckeyes were 27-11-4 last season and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season. The team finished second in the CCHA regular-season standing with a 21-5-2 ledger (its highest finish in over 20 years) and was the runner-up in the CCHA Super Six tournament.
Up Next
Ohio State returns to CCHA action with a home-and-home series with Bowling Green next weekend. The teams will meet at 7:05 p.m. Jan. 6 in Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and at 7:05 p.m. Jan. 7 in Bowling Green, Ohio. The game at BGSU will be televised live by FSN Detroit and FSN Ohio, marking the Buckeyes’ only scheduled appearance on the network during the regular season.
