Ohio State
14-8-4, 10-7-4-1CCHA
Lake Superior State
14-11-4, 9-9-3-3CCHA
No. 6/7 Buckeyes Fall to Lake Superior State, 1-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/27/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 27, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 6/7-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team lost a road game at Lake Superior State, 1-0, Friday night in Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The Buckeyes outshot the Lakers, 34-24, in the game, with Buckeye goalie Cal Heeter making 23 saves, but an early first-period goal by LSSU stood as the gamewinner.
The Buckeyes (14-8-4, 10-7-4-1 CCHA) and Lakers (14-11-4, 9-9-3-3 CCHA) will close out the series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Lakers took a 1-0 lead early in the contest when Kyle Haines scored at 4:36 of the first period, assisted by Chris Ciotti. Ohio State outshot Lake Superior State, 9-8, in the opening stanza. The Lakers were 0-for-2 on the power play in the period and Ohio State was scoreless on one shortened chance.
Neither team scored in the second period. Heeter had nine saves in the period, with LSSU’s Kevin Kapalka stopping all 12 Buckeye attempts. Ohio State had two power play chances and the Lakers had one opportunity with the extra man.
In the third period, the Buckeyes had chances, outshooting the Lakers, 13-7, but were unable to get the puck past Kapalka. Ohio State was 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and had one short power play chance of its own.
Shots were 34-24 in the game. Heeter played 58:21, pulled late in the game for the extra attacker, and had 23 saves. Kapalka stopped all 34 Buckeye attempts while playing all 60 minutes.
Neither team scored on the power play; Ohio State was 0-for-5 and Lake Superior State was 0-for-4.
Postgame Notes
• With one goal allowed, Heeter dropped his goals-against average to 2.10 and moved his save percentage to .929.
• The Buckeyes were shut out for the third time this season (Oct. 20 at Michigan State, Jan. 13 vs. Michigan).
• The game was the Buckeyes’ first 1-0 contest since a 1-0 overtime loss at Alaska Jan. 28, 2011.
• Ohio State is winless in its last seven games (0-4-3).
• The Buckeyes lead the season series with the Lakers, 2-1, after a two-game sweep in Columbus Dec. 2-3.
