Ohio State
11-3-1, 8-2-1-1
Lake Superior State
10-5-2, 6-4-1-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Superior State | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ohio State | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
Dries Leads No. 7 Buckeyes to 5-2 Win over No. 11 Lake Superior State – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 2, 2011
OSU v LSSU PDF Boxscore
Video highlights
Postgame Press Conference: Coach Osiecki | Dries and Gedig
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 7-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team moved its winning streak to eight and unbeaten streak to 10 with a 5-2 victory over No. 11 Lake Superior State Friday night in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes are now 11-3-1 overall and in first place in the CCHA with an 8-2-1-1 ledger.
Ohio State and Lake Superior State (10-5-2, 6-4-1-1 CCHA) will close out the series at 8:05 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena.
The Buckeyes were led by senior Danny Dries, who had two goals, including the gamewinner. Ohio State was ahead 2-0 after the first period on tallies from Alex Lippincott and Chris Crane. After a scoreless second period, the teams combined for five goals in the third. Dries put the Buckeyes up 3-0 at 4:50 of the stanza. The Lakers cut the lead to 3-1 with a power-play goal but Ohio State responded less than three minutes later with an Alex Szczechura goal. The Lakers again drew within two on a goal at 15:06 before Dries sealed the win with an empty-net score at 17:09, sending a shot from the Buckeyes’ defensive end of the ice into the net. Buckeye goalie Cal Heeter had 29 saves in the victory.
The Buckeyes led 2-0 after the first period and outshot the Lakers, 17-4, in the opening 20 minutes. At 7:32 Lippincott stole the puck down low and his shot bounced past a screened Kevin Kapalka and into the net for his fourth goal of the season. At 18:56 Crane put the Buckeyes ahead 2-0 with a power-play goal. Ryan Dzingel passed the puck out from behind the net, where it bounced up off a Laker defender and Crane was able to bat it in out of mid-air. Curtis Gedig had the second assist on the tally, Crane’s eighth goal of the season. Ohio State converted the only power-play opportunity of the period.
Neither team was able to score in the second period. Heeter made 13 saves in the Ohio State net, while Kapalka had eight stops for the Lakers. Ohio State had the only two power-play attempts.
In the third, Dries scored an unassisted goal at 4:50, racing to the puck after coming out of the penalty box and banking a shot of the LSSU goalie from almost behind the goal line. The Lakers’ Kevin Czuczman scored at 9:43 to draw the squad within two (3-1) but Szczechura scored from in close, assisted by Gedig, at 12:55 for a 4-1 game. Buddy Robinson was able to score for the Lakers at 15:06, making the score 4-2. With time winding down, the Lakers pulled Kapalka for the extra attacker. Ohio State converted quickly, as Dries sent a shot from the Buckeye zone the length of the ice and into the Laker net. Shots were 14-8 in the period and the Lakers had the only two power-play chances.
The Buckeyes outshot the Lakers, 33-31, in the game. Heeter played all 60 minutes and had 29 saves. Kapalka played 59:24 and had 28 saves, allowing four goals.
Each team had one power-play goal, as Ohio State was 1-for-3 and LSSU was 1-for-2.
Postgame Notes
• Dries is first on the team with 10 goals and ranks second with 15 points.
• Crane leads the Buckeyes with 16 points, ranking second with eight goals and tying for second with eight assists. He has goals in back-to-back games.
• The Buckeyes had a season-low three penalties and six penalty minutes.
• Heeter’s assist was his first of the season.
• Gedig had the third two-assist game of his career and his fourth two-point night.
• Lippincott has a 3-3-6 line in his last three games combined.
• Duddy has an assist in four of his last five games and has a career-best six helpers this season.
• The Buckeyes have a power-play goal in four of the last five and eight of the last 10 outings. The squad is in the Top 10 nationally with a 25.0 percent power-play mark.
• The penalty kill is also in the Top 10, stopping 87.5 percent of its opponent chances (87.5 percent).
• The Buckeyes are second in the nation in winning percentage (.767) and are second nationally with 11 wins.
Postgame Quotes
Danny Dries, senior forward
On his first goal of the night
“The puck just ended up behind the net. It went off the goalie’s leg. (Max) McCormick was there in front putting pressure making it easier for me.”
On his second goal of the night, an empty-netter shot from the Buckeye defensive zone
“I was feeling pretty good on face-offs and had confidence we could probably win it. I took the chance it could be icing. I probably wouldn’t have done that if we had only been up by one goal.”
On his play recently
“We talked a lot about getting pucks deep and not doing too much by myself. I do my best when I play the system and just keep it simple.”
On the attitude in the locker room
“When we’re winning games everyone’s happy. We’re a pretty young team so the young guys are really excited; I think that’s rubbing off on the older guys. Everyone always talks about the older guys helping the younger guys, but I think it goes both ways.”
On winning games
“I don’t think we really see ourselves as a skilled team. We know if we want to win we have to outplay the other team. We have to keep moving and keep the game going at our pace.”
Curtis Gedig, Ohio State sophomore defenseman
On the slow start to the second period
“We had a good start tonight. Our legs might have tightened up a little after the first period so we started a little slow in the second. We started to loosen up and get moving pretty quick though.”
On feeling satisfied with where the team is
“Coach always talks about never being satisfied and to keep working hard. We’re always trying to get better and stay on top.”
Mark Osiecki, Ohio State head coach
On the game performance
“I thought our first period was pretty solid, we moved our feet well and played our style of hockey. In the second period we were a little off, but we managed to get through unscathed.”
On the improvement of senior Danny Dries
“I thought Danny had a great game. He has responded well to tough coaching and tough love and it has made him a better player.”
On locker room environment/success
“We’re pretty humble right now and I attribute that to our captains keeping us humble. They do a good job of keeping the team focused and on a one day at a time mentality.”
Jim Roque, Lake Superior State head coach
On the difference in the game
“They had an excellent first period and took it to us hard early on, which is what you want to do as a home team. It proved to be the difference in the game.”
On his impressions of Ohio State
“I like their team game. They have a great goalie in [Cal] Heeter and get solid effort from all of their guys. I told Mark [Osiecki] after the game I really like what he’s done with this team.”
On adjustments his team will need to make for tomorrow’s game
“We need to have a better first period, obviously. When you’re on the road and playing a good team, you can’t play from behind. We’re going to have to get out to an early lead or keep the game within a goal if we want to have a chance.”
