Ohio State
21-7-2, 13-5-2
Wisconsin
8-19-3, 5-14-1
No. 9/8 Buckeyes Beat Badgers, 6-2
2/5/2022 11:42:15 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 9/8 Ohio State men’s hockey team used a five-goal run to pull away and defeat Wisconsin 6-2 Saturday in Value City Arena in The Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes allowed an early power play goal but answered less than two minutes later and took the lead late in the first period. Ohio State scored the first three goals of the second to extend the lead to 5-1. The Badgers ended the run before the end of the second and Ohio State added a goal in the third for the 6-2 final.
Ohio State swept the weekend series with the Badgers (8-19-3, 5-14-1-1-12-0 B1G) after a 4-3 comeback win Friday and was 3-0-1 vs. Wisconsin during the regular season.
Ohio State is now 21-7-2 on the year and 13-5-2-1-1-1 in Big Ten play, in first place three points ahead of Michigan, which has two games in hand. Ohio State has clinched a Top 4 finish and home ice spot for the Big Ten Tournament. The squad is 12-1-2 in its last 15 games.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will wrap up their regular season home slate with two games vs. Minnesota next weekend. The teams will meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday and at 6 p.m. Saturday when the squad’s seniors will be recognized pregame. The games will be televised by BTN and available on the Fox Sports app, as well as on Ohio State Radio. TICKET INFORMATION
Buckeyes win the weekend over the Badgers with a 6-2 final score tonight. @OhioStateMHKY pic.twitter.com/F8TDlgynuJ
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) February 6, 2022
The Short Story
Wisconsin’s Sam Stange scored 2:08 into the game on the power play but Georgii Merkulov answered at 4:01 to tie the game and Eric Cooley put the Buckeyes in the lead at 15:06. Each team had 11 shots in the opening period. In the second, Ohio State scored three times, with Merkulov notching his second of the night at 10:09, Michael Gildon tallying 28 seconds later and Cole McWard finding the aback of the net at 15:33. The Badgers ended Ohio State’s run at 17:48 for a 5-2 game after two periods. Ohio State outshot Wisconsin 15-9 in the middle period. Mason Lohrei tallied 1:23 into the third and that stood as the final goal of the game. The Buckeyes had the shot advantage in the third, 12-8.
Along with Merkulov’s two goals, Lohrei and Gildon both had an assist in the game for two-point nights. Ryan O’Connell and Jake Wise each picked up two assists in the win.
The Buckeyes outshot the Badgers, 38-28. Freshman goalie Jakub Dobeš made 26 saves for the Buckeyes for his 20th win of the year.
Coach Rohlik and senior Ryan O'Connell – who had two assists in the win tonight – spoke following the victory. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/kjTw4aRK2o
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) February 6, 2022
Buckeye This and That
- Dobeš is 20-6-2 this season, with a 2.01 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.
- Merkulov leads the Buckeyes with 18 goals and 31 points this year, with six gamewinning tallies (including both this weekend). It was his third two-goal game as a Buckeye, all since Dec. 31.
- Lohrei has a team-best 25 assists and is second with 29 points. He extended his point streak to six with two points tonight.
- Gildon now has a point in each of his last four games, with two goals, four assists and six points combined. He had a goal in each game vs. the Badgers.
- Wise is on a four-game point streak and now has a 10-16-26 line on the year. It was his third two-assist game of the season.
- O’Connell had his second career two-assist game and his second this year.
- In all, 11 Buckeyes had a point in the win.
- The Buckeyes are averaging 3.73 goals a game and allowing 2.10 per contest.
