Ohio State
3-7-0
Canisius
2-7-0
Buckeyes Post Sweep of Canisius with 6-4 Victory – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 14, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team skated to a 6-4 win over Canisius Saturday in Value City Arena, giving the Buckeyes a sweep of the Golden Griffins. The trio of Nick Schilkey, David Gust and Matthew Weis led the Buckeyes with three points each, and Anthony Greco had two points, while seven other Buckeyes had a point in the win, Ohio State’s third victory in a row.
The Buckeyes (3-7-0) and Golden Griffins (2-7-0) combined for five goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Canisius scored an early goal before the Buckeyes scored three in a row for a 3-1 lead at 9:11 of the first. The Golden Griffins answered just 43 seconds later to make it a one-goal game. Ohio State tallied the only two goals of the season period for a 5-2 lead after 4-0 minutes. Canisius scored at 6:08 and 11:14 of the third to again cut the lead to one, but Ohio State was able to hold off the Golden Griffins and add an empty net tally with 31 seconds left to seal the victory. Ohio State won the special teams battle, converting 3-of-6 power play chances and stopping Canisius on six opportunities, including a five-minute major.
“Any time you can sweep in college hockey, it’s a good weekend,” Steve Rohlik, Ohio State head coach, said. “Canisius gave themselves a chance to win at the end, but I like the response from our guys. It was a positive weekend.”
After a week off, the Buckeyes will return to action with two games at Omaha Nov. 27-28.
The teams scored five goals in the first period, with Ohio State holding a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes. Canisius opened the scoring at 3:29 when a shot by Ralph Cuddemi bounced off the back boards and came to the front of the net, bouncing in. Just over a minute later, Buckeye freshman Mason Jobst drove the net and scored, tying the game at 4:38. Luke Stork and Schilkey assisted on the goal, Jobst’s second tally of the year. On the power play, Weis was able to score while falling down in the slot, putting the Buckeyes ahead at 7:36. Schilkey had the primary assist, with goalie Matt Tomkins starting the play for his second assist in the last three games. At 9:11 Schilkey scored a power play goal of his own, with his shot from the faceoff circle finding the far top corner. Gust and Weis had the assists on the tally, Schilkey’s team-best sixth of the year. Just 43 seconds later the Golden Griffins’ Cameron Heath responded to make it a one-goal game at 9:54. Neither team scored the rest of the way. Ohio State held Canisius scoreless on two power play chances in the period, including a full five-minute major, with a third chance carrying into the second period. Shots were 12-8 in favor of Ohio State in the period.
The Buckeyes had the only goals of the second period. At 5:54 Gust scored, assisted by Greco and junior Drew Brevig, putting Ohio State up 4-2. At 16:00 senior defenseman Craig Dalrymple had a power play shot deflect off a Canisius defender and in for his first goal of the year and a 5-2 Buckeye lead. Freshman defenseman Sasha Larocque had the first assist, marking his first point as a Buckeye, with Weis picking up the second helper. Ohio State had 16 shots in the period, with Tomkins stopping all 10 Canisius shots on net.
Two Canisius goals in 5:06 made it a one-goal game at 11:14 of the third period. Daniel LaFontaine scored at 6:08 on a sharp angle shot and Shane Conacher tallied after a faceoff deep in the Buckeyes’ zone at 11:14. With time winding down, Canisius pulled its goalie and Ohio State converted quickly. Gust stole the puck from a Golden Griffin in the neutral zone and passed to Greco, who scored at 19:31. The Buckeyes outshot Canisius, 13-8, in the period.
In the game, the Buckeyes outshot Canisius, 41-26. The Buckeyes have 40 or more shots in each of their last four games and are now averaging 35.0 shots on goal a game. Tomkins played 59:56 for the Buckeyes and had 22 saves. Canisius’ Reilly Turner made 35 saves in 59:56.
Ohio State was 6-for-6 on the penalty kill, the eighth time (in 10 games) this season the team did not allow a power play goal. The power play was a season-best 3-for-6 in the win.
Postgame Notes
• Schilkey leads the Buckeyes with six goals and 12 points and is on a five-game point streak, with four goals, six assists and 10 points in the streak. It was his fourth career three-point game.
• Weis has a goal in each of his last three games and has a 3-3-6 line in the last three outings combined. He has five goals and three assists for eight points this season. It was his second career three-point night (first since Oct. 10, 2014 vs. Providence).
• Gust notched his first career three-point outing. He had a team-best five points in the series with two goals and three assists. On the year, he leads the Buckeyes with a career-high nine assists and is second with 11 points.
• Larocque is the sixth Buckeye freshman with a point this season. Jobst leads the Buckeyes rookies with two goals and three points this year.
• Greco, who has a 4-4-8 line on the season, has two goals and three assists for five points in his last three games combined.
• The six goals scored by the Buckeyes were a season high. The team has 15 goals in its last three games combined.
• The Buckeye power play is now 9-for-44 (20.5 percent) this season.
