Ohio State
20-7-2, 12-5-2
Wisconsin
8-18-3, 5-13-1
No. 9/8 Buckeyes Come Back to Down Wisconsin in OT, 4-3
2/4/2022 11:35:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With a goal in overtime, freshman Georgii Merkulov capped an Ohio State comeback win over Wisconsin Friday in Value City Arena in The Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes trailed 3-1 entering the third period, but scored twice to force overtime and prevailed in the 3-on-3 session.
Ohio State moves to 20-7-2 on the year and is 12-5-2-1-1-1 in Big Ten play, tied with idle Michigan for first place. In the Big Ten, each team gets one point in the standings when a game is tied after regulation and the team that wins in overtime or a shootout gets the extra point. This is the Buckeyes' fourth 20-win season in the last five years. The squad is 11-1-2 in its last 14 games.
The Buckeyes and Badgers (8-18-3, 5-13-1-2-1-0 B1G) will close the weekend and regular season series at 8 p.m. Saturday in Columbus. The game will be televised by BTN, available on the Fox Sports app, and on Ohio State Radio. TICKET INFORMATION
The Short Story
Wisconsin controlled play early and led 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 less than four minutes into the second. Eric Cooley made it a one-goal game at 8:04, but the Badgers answered with their second power play goal of the night for a 3-1 lead, which they carried into the third. At 3:31 Buckeye Michael Gildon cut the UW lead to one with his first goal of the season and Jake Wise tied the game with a power play tally at 13:48. In overtime, Georgii Merkulov gave the Buckeyes the win with his team-best 16th goal of the year. Freshman defenseman Mason Lohrei had a team-high three assists and points in the win, while Grant Gabriele had two helpers. In goal, Jakub Dobeš had 43 saves for his 19th win of the season and third straight game with 40-plus stops.
Quoting head coach Steve Rohlik
"We really struggled. Give them credit. They showed up at the drop of the puck and they were outworking us. It was pretty clear. We were just fortunate to be within striking distance when the third period started and obviously when you get one you have that belief in you. We have to be a lot better tomorrow if we're think we're going to hang in there and have a chance to win another hockey game."
Coach Rohlik and Michael Gildon spoke after tonight's 4-3 victory over the Badgers. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/wRFD23lcZO
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) February 5, 2022
How It Happened
- Wisconsin had the first eight shots of the game and scored on the eighth, a power play tally from Max Johnson at 3:39. Shots were 15-8 in favor of Wisconsin in the opening 20 minutes.
- In the second Corson Ceulemans tallied on an odd-man rush for a 2-0 UW advantage at 3:54.
- Eric Cooley put the Buckeyes on the board at 8:04, tapping in the rebound of a James Marooney shot, with Mason Lohrei picking up the second assist.
- Ceulemans regained Wisconsin's two-goal lead five minutes later when he scored on the power play.
- Shots were 15-14 in favor of Ohio State in the period.
- The Buckeyes had a major power play chance start at 15:46 of the second and carry into the third. The squad put five shots on net during the major but could not convert.
- At 3:31 of the third Michael Gildon scored his first goal of the season, taking a pass from Grant Gabriele from behind the net and scoring from the high slot.
- Ohio State scored its own power play goal at 13:48. Cam Thiesing drove the net and his shot was saved, but Jake Wise was there to put the rebound home and tie the game.
- Lohrei had the second assist on both Buckeye third-period tallies.
- The Buckeyes were outshot 15-5 to start the third, but the period ended with the Badgers holding a 16-14 shot advantage, putting just one shot on net in the final 8:47 of the period.
- In 3-on-3 overtime, each team had one shot before Georgii Merkulov netted the gamewinner. Gabriele led Merkulov up the ice. He beat his defenseman and pulled the goalie out of position before scoring.
- Jakub Dobeš had 43 saves in 63:12, with the Buckeyes outshot, 46-39.
- Ohio State blocked 17 shots, led by Lohrei, Merkulov, Ryan O'Connell, Wise and Gabriele with two each.
- Ohio State was 1-for-2 on the power play, with Wisconsin 2-for-4.
Buckeye This and That
- Dobeš is 19-6-2 this season, with a 2.01 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. He has 30-plus saves in each of the last nine games.
- Lohrei has a team-best 24 assists and is second with 27 points. It was his second career three-assist and three-point night and he extended his point streak to five.
- Merkulov leads the Buckeyes with 16 goals and 29 points this year, with five gamewinning tallies.
- Gabriele had his third career game with two assists and fifth two-point outing. He has a 5-13-18 line this year.
- Gildon's goal was his first since Nov. 2, 2019 vs. Michigan. He had two assists in the Buckeye win last Saturday and has a point in each of his last three games.
- Thiesing is on a six-game point streak and is tied with Wise for third on the team with 24 points, with eight goals and 16 assists.
- Wise is on a three-game point streak and now has a 10-14-24 line on the year.
in the #GoBucks https://t.co/Aspcac6Fdo pic.twitter.com/jsd2FAeOKr
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) February 5, 2022
Gildon's goal tonight was his first of the season and made it a one-goal game early in the third. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/jmKRPkDLC6
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) February 5, 2022
Lost in the excitement of the comeback win …
A look at the Jake Wise tally that tied the game in the third. The Blackhawks' pick has 10 goals and 24 points this year. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KMbyiQOnRD
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) February 5, 2022
You've gotta (Merku)lov this OT winner for @OhioStateMHKY! pic.twitter.com/jB183JQqTA
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) February 5, 2022
With the overtime win, the Buckeyes improve to 20-7-2 this season and are 12-5-2-1-1-1 in the B1G, in a tie with idle Michigan for first place.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/5L1xJ2z4Mb
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) February 5, 2022
