Ohio State
14-7-6, 5-5-1-1
Minnesota
17-8-2, 8-3-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Ohio State | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
No. 12/13 Buckeyes Win 5-4 Over No. 5/4 Minnesota
2/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 11, 2017
OLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 12/13-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team scored two third period goals en route to a 5-4 win over No. 5/4 Minnesota Friday in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes answered less than a minute after the Gophers had taken the lead in the second period and scored the first two goals of the third for the win.
The Buckeyes (14-7-6, 5-5-1-1 B1G) and Gopher Gophers (17-8-2, 8-3-0-0 B1G) will meet in VCA at 8 p.m. Saturday to close the season series. The game is the program’s annual Teddy Bear Toss and fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal (wrapped in plastic) to throw on the ice during the first intermission to donate to Ronald McDonald House. There will also be a postgame meet and greet with select Buckeyes.
Ohio State 5, Minnesota 4
Ohio State led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Matthew Weis and Nick Schilkey. The Gophers scored the next three, tallying on the power play 46 seconds into the second period and adding goals at 4:09 and 10:15. Just 49 seconds after Minnesota had taken a 3-2 lead Buckeye junior Kevin Miller scored to deadlock the score at three.
In the third, Mason Jobst put the Buckeyes ahead at 3:47 with a power play goal and Tanner Laczynski made it a two-goal advantage at 15:07. The Gophers scored with the net empty at 18:07 to draw within one, but a late penalty on Minnesota took away the advantage of the extra attacker.
Four Buckeyes – Nick Schilkey, Mason Jobst, Tanner Laczynski and Matthew Weis – had a goal and an assist in the game, while Sasha Larocque had two helpers. Senior goalie Matt Tomkins made 35 saves in the win.
Postgame comments from Coach Rohlik, Jobst and Laczynski. https://t.co/ifAQzof0M5 #GoBucks
— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) February 11, 2017
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
On Kevin Miller’s goal less than a minute after Minnesota took the lead “I think the Kevin Miller goal was huge. That line went out there and basically got us back into it. Minnesota is an explosive and very good hockey team. One minute you’re up on them 2-0 and then it’s 3-2 the other way. Somebody has to go out there and get that momentum back and that line came through for us.”
On the fourth line scoring the game-changing goal
“At the end of the day, it’s a team deal. We talk about it a lot. Sometimes those guys don’t get all the recognition that maybe other guys do but they are just as important every day and every night. You need everyone on this team to make it better. They came through there and it’s a team win.”
Quoting freshman forward Tanner Laczynski
On Ohio State’s offense vs. the Golden Gophers
“The biggest thing was our start. We’ve been lacking that the past couple games and that’s really hurt us, our first periods. To come out and get two quick goals just like that, I thought that was huge. Especially getting that momentum going into the second and throughout the game I thought that was our biggest thing.”
Quoting sophomore forward Mason Jobst
On facing Minnesota again Saturday
“The job is half done right now. It would be a huge weekend for us to get another win and catch up in the standings. We’ve just got to come out like we did and hopefully have a better second period and don’t let off the gas.”
On the momentum changing throughout the game
“Obviously I don’t think we’d want it to be that way. We’ve got to bear down defensively, but we are both very offensive with high powered scoring. We’ve just got to try to limit their goals.”
Watch all five Buckeye goals from the win over the Gophers: https://t.co/HLGIodstNP. #GoBucks
— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) February 11, 2017
In the First …
The Buckeyes led 2-0 after the first 20 minutes. Ohio State opened the scoring at 7:58. Freshman Tanner Laczynski carried the puck down in the Gopher zone. He was able to get open and found Matthew Weis past the far post for a one-timer and 1-0 Buckeye lead.
Nick Schlikey had a highlight reel goal at 16:55 to put the Buckeyes up by two. Sasha Larocque got the puck to Mason Jobst in the neutral zone. He passed to Schilkey coming up the wing. He got around his defender and score on a forehand. The goal was his 21st of the season, while Jobst extended his point streak to 13 with the helper.
Each team had 10 shots in the period. The Gophers had the only power play with a second chance carrying into the second period.
In the Second …
Minnesota scored the first three goals of the third for a 3-2 lead. Brent Gates tallied on the power play just 46 seconds into the period, Rem Pitlick converted a breakaway at 4:09 to tie the game and Vinni Lettieri put the Gophers ahead at 10:15.
Less than a minute after the Gophers had gone ahead, junior Kevin Miller took a pass from sophomore Brendon Kearney and scored on a low shot from the slot to tie the game at three at 11:04. Senior Josh Healey also assisted on the goal, Miller’s sixth of the year.
Shots were 14-9 Minnesota in the stanza and the only power play was the carryover from the first.
In the Third …
The Buckeyes scored a power play goal of their own at 3:47 of the third to tie the game. Nick Schilkey, off a pass from David Gust, found Mason Jobst in the right faceoff circle and he one-timed it past the goalie for his 13th goal of the year. The goal came just 14 seconds after the Buckeye power play started.
At 15:07 Ohio State went ahead by two. With the teams skating 4-on-4, Sasha Larocque took a pass from Matthew Weis and carried into the zone. Tanner Laczynski got open down low and his shot went past the Gopher goalie for a 5-3 Buckeye advantage.
The Gophers pulled their goalie with more than two minutes remaining and converted at 18:07 with a goal by Justin Kloos. A Gopher penalty at 18:34 ended the 6-on-5 advantage. Minnesota skated with the net empty late to make it 5-on-5, but Matt Tomkins made two saves to preserve the lead.
Minnesota had 15 shots in the period, with the Buckeyes putting nine on net. The Buckeyes had the only two power plays of the period. The teams also had four minutes of 4-on-4 time with two sets of coincidental penalties.
Blocking the Puck
Minnesota outshot the Buckeyes, 39-28, in the game. Matt Tomkins played all 60 minutes for the Buckeyes and had 35 saves, moving his record to 8-2-3 this year. The Gophers’ Eric Schierhorn had 23 stops in 58:21.
The Buckeyes blocked 15 shots, led by Gordi Myer and Matt Joyaux with three each.
Special Teams
Each team was 1-for-2 on the power play in the game. The Buckeyes lead the NCAA on the power play, converting 29.2 percent of their chances (33-of-113).
Jobst Extends Streak
Sophomore Mason Jobst extended his point streak to 13 games with a goal and an assist in the game. During the streak he has 27 points, on 10 goals and 17 assists, leading the NCAA with 2.08 points per game since his streak started Dec. 3. He leads the Buckeyes with 26 assists and 39 points, ranking eighth in the NCAA in points per game (1.44) and sixth in assists per game (.96). Jobst leads the Big Ten in points overall and in conference games only (8-14-22).
Schilkey Leading NCAA in Goals Per Game
Senior Nick Schilkey notched his 21st goal of the year in the win. He is the first Buckeye to hit the 20-goal mark since All-American Ryan Dzingel ended the 2013-14 season with 22. Schilkey leads the NCAA with .91 goals per game, ranking third in goals, and is ninth in the NCAA in points per game (1.43). He is second nationally in shooting percentage, scoring on 30.4 percent of his shots. Schilkey is second on the squad with 33 points.
Buckeye This and That
? Freshman Tanner Laczynski had the ninth multiple-point game of his career. He is second on the team with 19 assists, ranking fourth with 27 points. He is second in the NCAA and in the B1G in points per game among rookies (1.23).
? Ohio State leads the NCAA with 76 individual games with two or more points this season. Five Buckeyes had two points in the win over the Gophers.
? Sasha Larocque had the second two-assist game of his career and his first since Jan. 15, 2016 vs. Michigan.
? The Buckeyes are second nationally in scoring offense, averaging 4.11 goals per game.
? Matthew Weis had his second consecutive two-point game and has a 8-16-24 line on the year.
