Ohio State
14-9-5, 10-8-5-1
Michigan State
14-11-4, 9-9-3-2
No. 10 Buckeyes Defeated by Michigan State, 6-3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 3, 2012
Video highlights
Coach Osiecki postgame
Cory Schneider postgame
COLUMBUS, Ohio – In Value City Arena Friday night, the No. 10 Ohio State men’s hockey team lost to Michigan State, 6-3, in a Central Collegiate Hockey Association matchup. The Buckeyes (14-9-5, 10-8-5-1 CCHA) and Spartans (14-11-4, 9-9-3-2) will meet in game two at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in VCA. The game is the second-annual Teddy Bear Toss; fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to the arena to throw on the ice after the team scores its first goal. The stuffed animals will be collected and delivered to Ronald McDonald House by members of the Buckeye squad.
Friday night, the Buckeyes scored twice in the first 4:19 of the game, on goals by Alex Lippincott and Max McCormick. At 14:26 Spartans cut the lead to 2-1 with a goal but Ryan Dzingel answered less than three minutes later for a 3-1 Buckeye advantage after the opening 20 minutes. The Spartans outscored Ohio State 5-0 to close out the game, with three goals in the second period and two goals in the third. The second-period tallies came in the final 9:34 of the period and gave Michigan State a 4-3 lead. A goal at 14:15 of the third by Chris Forfar extended the advantage to 5-3 and Matt Berry closed the scoring with an empty-net tally at 18:04. Ohio State outshot Michigan State, 44-34.
The Buckeyes opened the scoring just 58 seconds into the game when Lippincott scored on the rush, beating the goalie high glove side, with assists from Chris Crane and Devon Krogh. Just outside the crease, McCormick deflected a Brandon Martell shot at 4:19 for a 2-0 Buckeye advantage, with Ben Gallacher picking up the second assist. Dean Chelios made it a one-goal game at 14:26 when his shot got through. Dzingel regained Ohio State’s two-goal advantage when he scored on the rebound of a shot by McCormick, with linemate Tanner Fritz on the second assist. Shots were 19-10 Ohio State in the period. Michigan State had one power play chance and Ohio State was scoreless on three attempts.
In the second period, Michigan State scored three unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. AJ Sturges scored at 10:26, with an assist from Anthony Hayes and at 15:16, with MSU on the power play, Torey Krug picked off a Buckeye clearing attempt in close and converted unassisted to tie the game at 3-all. With less than a minute remaining in the period Matt Crandell’s shot from the blue line got through traffic to put Michigan State ahead for the first time, 4-3. Each team had nine shots in the period. The Spartans converted their one power play chance and stopped the Buckeyes on two opportunities.
The Spartans held the one-goal lead until Forfar’s tally on the rebound at 14:15 of the third period for a 5-3 lead. The final goal came at 18:04 as Berry was able to score into the empty Buckeye net. The teams combined for 31 shots in the period, with Ohio State ahead, 16-15. Each team had one power play chance.
For the game, Ohio State outshot Michigan State, 44-34. Brady Hjelle started and played the first two periods, making 15 saves and allowing four goals. Cal Heeter played the third period and had 13 saves on 14 shots.
Ohio State was unable to score on six power play chances and Michigan State was 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Postgame Notes
• With a goal and an assist, McCormick had his second-consecutive multiple-point outing. He has eight goals, eight assists and 16 points this year to rank fourth on the squad.
• Fritz has a point in four of the last five games, with a 2-5-7 line in the stretch.
• Dzingel’s goal was his sixth this season. He leads the Buckeye rookies and is third on the team with 19 points this season.
• Krogh has assists in back-to-back games and now has a career-high 11 assists and 13 points this year.
• Crane’s assist moved his team-best point total to 24, with 14 goals and 10 assists.
• Gallacher has assists in his last two games and has a 1-8-9 line this year.
• Michigan State’s six goals were a Buckeye opponent season high. The team had allowed five goals in three games this year.
• Ohio State’s power play was scoreless for the third time in the last four games.
Postgame Quotes
Mark Osiecki, Ohio State head coach
On the team’s progress
“We actually played pretty well tonight. We handed the puck over too much, which ended up costing us. We got 44 shots on the net and had some good looks to get the 3-1 lead. We need to eliminate our mistakes because right now our mistakes are ending up in the back of the net.”
On the team’s power play opportunities
“Our power play unit really needs to bear down. We got some good looks but we couldn’t capitalize. Our power play could have been the difference for us the past couple of games.”
Cory Schneider, Ohio State senior forward
On the mood of the team
“We still have a positive mood. We worked hard and competed tonight but Michigan State did a great job taking advantage of its opportunities. We have to move forward. We are going to turn this around.”
On Michigan State’s goal in the last minute of the second period
“It deflated us a little bit. We got in the lockerroom and knew we were just one shot out of it though. We tried to work some pucks to the net but Michigan State has a good defense and two great goaltenders. We have to get to work tomorrow and try to get some greasy goals.”
Tom Anastos, Michigan State head coach
On the start to the game
“I’m not quite sure that that start was what we worked on all week. We had to regroup and find a way back into the game. Our effort, especially on defense, was better over the final two periods. We’re fortunate to get away with playing two periods tonight.”
On what adjustments were made after the first period
“We made an attitude adjustment. The [Anthony] Hayes and [Brent] Darnell lines had real good nights as well, and we need that to be a successful team.”
On the improvement of goalie Will Yanakeff over the final two periods
“He fought the puck early and pucks weren’t bouncing off of him right, but we decided to stick with him and he rewarded us with some solid play.”
