Ohio State
15-6-0, 7-4-0
Wisconsin
6-13-2, 3-8-0
No. 17 Ohio State Rallies to Defeat Badgers, 5-3
1/8/2022 10:39:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 17 Ohio State men's hockey team scored the game's final three goals to come from behind and defeat Wisconsin, 5-3, Saturday in game one of a Big Ten series. Ohio State trailed 3-2 after the second but Grant Gabriele tied the game, Georgii Merkulov put Ohio State ahead and Joe Dunlap sealed the win with an empty net goal
The Buckeyes move their winning streak to six and improve to 15-6 on the year, with a 7-4 record in Big Ten play.
Ohio State and Wisconsin (6-13-2, 3-8-0-1-1-0 B1G) will close the weekend series at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. The game will be televised by Bally Sports Wisconsin, with the coverage picked by Bally Sports Great Lakes and streamed through BallySports.com and the Bally Sports app and Big Ten Plus. Ohio State Radio will also carry the action.
The Short Story
Wisconsin scored the only goal of the first period, despite an early major power play for the Buckeyes. In the second, Ohio State tallied twice in 3:13 to take a 2-1 lead, with Cam Thiesing converting at 2:26 and Gustaf Westlund scoring on the power play at 5:39. Wisconsin notched the next two, with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 14:41 and even strength score at 17:06, for a 3-2 lead through 40 minutes.
Ohio State continued its third period dominance, outscoring the Badgers 3-0 to come from behind and win. Grant Gabriele tied the game at 6:52 and Georgii Merkulov put the Buckeyes ahead at 14:21. Joe Dunlap clinched the victory with 38 seconds left, scoring with the net empty.
Jakub Dobeš had 33 saves for the Buckeyes, picking up his 14th win this season. James Marooney had a career-high two assists and points vs. the Badgers, while Thiesing added an assist for a two-point night. Ohio State was 1-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Merkulov leads the Buckeyes with 10 goals and 20 points.
The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 42-13 in the third period this season and have won five games when trailing entering the third stanza.
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.@OhioStateMHKY tally a three-goal period to come from behind and win 5-2.
CC: @JoeDunlap21 pic.twitter.com/6obFQFps3y
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) January 9, 2022
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
"We got the result we wanted. We had another good third period that allowed us to claw back. We need to be more consistent and we need to be better tomorrow."
Quoting Buckeye junior James Marooney
"It was a great team win; everyone bought in. This season we have been competing hard from Monday to Thursday in practice and it has been paying off this season in the third period. At the end of the day it was a great win but we can be better. As a team we are going to have to strive to keep getting better in the second half."
How It Happened
- Less than five minutes into the game a Badger was assessed a major for kneeing after video review for a Buckeye power play. Ohio State was unable to convert, with the final 50 seconds 4-on-4 after a Buckeye penalty late in the major.
- At 4:56 Wisconsin opened the scoring, with Carson Bantle scoring on a 2-on-1 chance.
- Each team had 10 shots on goal in the first.
- The Buckeyes scored twice early in the second to take the lead.
- At 2:26 Cam Thiesing scored from the faceoff circle, assisted by Michael Gildon and Ryan O'Connell.
- At 5:39 Gustaf Westlund redirected a Cole McWard shot on the power play, with Will Riedell also assisting.
- Wisconsin scored twice late to regain the lead, 3-2, entering the third. Roman Achan tied the game with a 5-on-3 goal at 14:41 and Dominick Mersch was left all alone in front and scored at 17:06.
- Shots were 13-11 in favor of the Buckeyes in the middle period.
- At 6:52 of the third Grant Gabriele scored on the rush, putting a shot far post, to tie the game at three. Travis Treloar and James Marooney assisted on the goal, Gabriele's fourth of the year.
- Georgii Merkulov put the Buckeyes ahead at 14:21. Cam Thiesing won the battle along the boards and got the puck to James Marooney, who found Merkulov on the far side and he beat the goalie on the short side.
- Wisconsin pulled its goalie with more than two minutes remaining and Joe Dunlap sealed the win with 38 seconds left with an empty net tally, set up by Kamil Sadlocha, who made the play in the defensive zone to get the puck to Dunlap.
- Jakub Dobeš stopped all 15 shots he faced in the third period, as the Buckeyes were outshot, 15-10.
- For the game, the Badgers had the shot advantage, 36-33. Ohio State had 10 shot blocks, led by Gabriele with four and Riedell with three.
- Ohio State was 1-for-2 on the power play and the penalty kill was 4-for-5.
- The Buckeyes won 42 of 67 faceoffs in the game (62.7 percent).
Buckeye This and That
- The Buckeyes have scored three or more goals in 16 of 21 games and are averaging 3.76 goals per night. The team allowed more than two goals for just the seventh time this year. The squad is allowing 2.24 goals a night.
- Merkulov leads the Buckeyes with 10 goals and 20 points. The gamewinner was his third this season.
- Thiesing had his fourth two-point night as a Buckeye with a goal and an assist. He has five goals, 10 assists and 15 points this season. He is on a four-game point streak (3g, 2a, 5p).
- Ohio State has gone on runs of three or more goals in 13 of 21 games this season.
- The Buckeyes are outscoring opponents 42-13 in the third period and 43-13 in the third period and overtime combined this season.
Tonight's goals in the 5-3 win at Wisconsin
Thiesing
Westlund
Gabriele
Merkulov
Dunlap
Marooney – 2 assists#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Era0yfJNwy— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 9, 2022
