Ohio State
18-10-6, 9-8-1-1
Michigan State
7-22-3, 3-13-2-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Ohio State | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
No. 13 Buckeyes Post 5-3 Senior Night Win over Michigan State
3/5/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 5, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Senior Night in Value City Arena Saturday, the No. 13-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team downed Michigan State, 5-3. The teams were tied after the second period, but a power play goal and a strong defensive effort in the third led to the Buckeye victory. Ohio State is now 18-10-6 overall, with a 9-8-1-1 B1G mark.
The seven members of the Buckeyes’ senior class — Drew Brevig, Logan Davis, Christian Frey, Josh Healey, David Gust, Nick Schilkey and Matt Tomkins — were recognized pregame.
Ohio State 5, Michigan State 3
The Buckeyes held a one-goal lead three times, but the Spartans answered each time until Ohio State pulled away in the third. Ohio State opened the scoring 12:05 into the game; Michigan State scored less than a minute later. Ohio State took a 2-1 lead at 17:37 of the first and just 52 seconds into the second the game was again tied. The first four goals of the game all came on the power play. At 2:03 of the second Ohio State went ahead 3-2, again answered quickly by the Spartans 1:45 later.
In the third, Dakota Joshua scored on the power play at 5:04 to put the Buckeyes ahead and the lead stood, with Nick Schilkey sealing the win with an empty net goal with 11 seconds remaining.
In all, five Buckeyes scored a goal. Seniors Schilkey (1g, 2a) and Josh Healey (3a) had team-best three point nights, while Mason Jobst and Joshua each had a goal and an assist. Matt Tomkins had 22 saves in the Buckeye goal.
Five goal scorers for the Buckeyes in their 5-3 win over the Spartans: https://t.co/MSkl9ta1ie #GoBucks
— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) March 5, 2017
In the First …
The teams combined for three power play goals in the first period, with Ohio State carrying a 2-1 lead into intermission. At 12:05 sophomore Mason Jobst tallied on a wrist shot to open the scoring, with Josh Healey and Nick Schilkey assisting on the goal, Jobst’s 16th of the year. The Spartans tied the game just 36 seconds later on a power play goal of their own from Sam Saliba.
At 17:37 David Gust put the Buckeyes ahead 2-1. A shot from Healey was saved and went from Schilkey to Gust in the faceoff circle, where he one-timed it for his 15th goal of the year.
The Buckeyes outshot the Spartans, 9-7, in the period.
In the Second …
Michigan State tied the game just 52 seconds into the second, converting a power play chance that had carried over from the first. At 2:03 Kevin Miller put the Buckeyes ahead. His shot on the rush was saved, but the puck bounced up on the goalie and went over and in for Miller’s 10th goal of the season. Dakota Joshua and Tommy Parran assisted on the goal, which came at 2:03. The Spartans again answered to tie the game, as Sam Saliba scored at 3:48.
Neither team was able to score the rest of the way in the period. Michigan State outshot Ohio State 14-8, with Buckeye goalie Matt Tomkins making 13 saves.
In the Third …
Dakota Joshua broke the tie 5:04 into the third period. He took a pass from Mason Jobst down low, drove to the front of the net and scored far side for a 4-3 Buckeye lead. Josh Healey also assisted on the goal, which was Joshua’s 10th of the season.
The Buckeyes limited the Spartans to just four shots in the period, despite MSU skating with the extra attacker for most of the final minute. Buckeye senior captain Nick Schilkey sealed the win, stealing a pass in the neutral zone and scoring into the empty net. It was his 26th goal of the season and came with 11 seconds left in regulation.
Blocking the Puck
The Buckeyes outshot the Spartans, 26-25, in the game. Senior Matt Tomkins had 22 saves in 59:41 for the Buckeyes, while his classmate Logan Davis closed out the victory, coming in for the final 11 seconds.
The Buckeyes blocked 13 Spartan shot attempts, led by Sasha Larocque with four.
Special Teams
The Buckeyes were 3-for-4 on the power play in the game. The squad leads the NCAA with the man advantage, converting 31.9 percent of its chances (44-for-138). Ohio State has multiple power play goals in four of the last five games (and was 0-for-1 in the fifth game).
Ohio State’s penalty kill was 2-for-4. The Buckeyes did not take a penalty after the first period.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will close the regular season with two games at Wisconsin. The teams will meet Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in the Kohl Center in Madison.
On the Scoresheet
? Sophomore Mason Jobst had a goal and an assist, moving his point total to 47 this season. It is the most points for a Buckeye since RJ Umberger had 53 in 2003. Jobst is second among Big Ten players in points and ranks 10th nationally in points per game (1.38). In Big Ten games only, he is second with 30 points on 11 goals and 19 assists.
? Senior Nick Schilkey leads the NCAA with .87 goals per game after scoring his 26th of the year (his first empty net score of the season). The 26 goals tie Umberger (2003) and Eric Meloche (1998) for the most goals by a Buckeye since 1997. He had two assists and now has 40 points this season, his second consecutive 40-point campaign. Schilkey has 129 points as a Buckeye, the most since Paul Caponigri had 132 from 2001-04.
? Josh Healey had three assists and points for the second time in his career and first since Feb. 20, 2016 at Penn State. He has a 4-20-24 line this season, notching a career high in assists and points.
? Kevin Miller and Dakota Joshua both reached the 10-goal mark with their goals vs. the Spartans, a career high for both. Joshua had his third multiple point outing in the last four games and now has a 10-21-31 line on the year, his first 30-point campaign. Miller has four goals in his last four games combined.
Postgame Quotes
Steve Rohlik, Ohio State head coach
On how team rebounded from last night’s loss
“Last night didn’t go as planned, that’s for sure. First and foremost, like I told you guys last night, it starts with me. I have to take responsibility, yet, when I can also turn around and challenge a group. I know I have seven seniors in the room that can put the team on their backs and head us in the right direction; this group can go as far as they want to go. That’s the fun part about this game, and that’s the fun part about the group I have. We still have a lot of opportunity ahead of us.”
On the power play success
“Usually when you look at games and when you look at stats, the team that wins the special teams battle wins the game. However, and I say this a lot, but we have to be a better five-on-five team. We have enough talent here. I understand that it takes a lot of hard work to get to the dirty areas five-on-five, but I think if we can improve in that area, and improve in the PK area, I think our best hockey is still ahead of us.”
On the senior class
“When you talk about who or what a Buckeye is, just look at these seven seniors. What they do on the ice is one thing, what you guys get to see every day. What I get to see is off the ice. How they handle themselves in the community, how they handle themselves in the classroom, is top notch. These seven guys put this program where it is at now.”
Postgame comments from Coach Rohlik, Schilkey and Healey after the Senior Night win. https://t.co/kdZ42SjuDQ #GoBucks
— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) March 5, 2017
Nick Schilkey, Ohio State senior forward
On the lockerroom during second intermission
“We tried to keep it light. We were trying to have fun tonight. We know that we got challenged last night to come back and play a better team game. We knew what was on the line and I think we just continued to play a team game. We were confident and that is why we could go out there and get the job done.”
On playing his last game in The Schott
“I obviously took a little longer to get off of the ice after the game, but it felt good, just a good team game to go off the last time. It obviously feels good to get a win the last time stepping off of that ice. That’s what it is all about.”
On the power play success
“We just took what was given to us and it’s just all confidence — when you feel like you hop over the boards and we are going to score. I think that’s all it is. When the ice opens up and you are confident, we have players who can make plays and that’s just kind of what we’ve been doing.”
Josh Healey, Ohio State senor defenseman
On the defensive effort in the third period
“I think we just played a better team game tonight, especially in the third. The boys knew what was on the line, we are trying to get back into the top 10 and every win is important. We just came out in the third, locked it down and did everything we could to limit their chances.”
On playing his last game in The Schott
“I just took it all in. It’s been a long four years and a fun four years. I just went out there tonight and just took in every moment, not worrying too much about what is coming up next.”
On the power play success
“We didn’t try to do too much out there, we just took the shots when we had the chances and didn’t try to be too pretty. It worked out for us, so we’ll take it.”
