No. 13/15 Buckeyes Open Year with 4-3 Road Win

Saturday, October 7

Erie, Pa.

7:00 PM

Ohio State

1-0-0

Mercyhurst University

0-1-0

Ohio St.

Mercyhurst

No. 13/15 Buckeyes Open Year with 4-3 Road Win

10/7/2023 9:54:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 13/15-ranked Ohio State men's hockey team turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead less than three minutes into the third period en route to a 4-3 victory at Mercyhurst Saturday to open the season. Davis Burnside led Ohio State with two goals, while Theo Wallberg had three assists in his collegiate debut and his classmate Max Montes posted two helpers.

The Short Story
Ohio State outshot Mercyhurst 18-6 in the first period but the Lakers netted the only goal. In the second Buckeye Michael Gildon tied the game early but Mercyhurst again pushed ahead and led 2-1 at the second intermission. In the third, Davis Burnside deadlocked the game less than a minute into the period and Scooter Brickey put the Buckeyes ahead with a power play goal just 1:16 later. Burnside's second of the game at 18:46 moved Ohio State's advantage to 4-2. A Laker goal in the final second led to the 4-3 final. Ohio State had the edge in shots, 48-21, and was 1-for-4 on the power play, with a 3-for-3 game on the penalty kill.

Quoting head coach Steve Rohlik
"It was nice to see our group stick with it. After being down most of the night, they were resilient to get a big win on the road."

Quoting sophomore forward Davis Burnside
"It was great team win. We battled hard and that's really good to see, especially with having a bunch of new faces in the lineup. There are some things we need to clean up, but overall this was a really solid start to the season."

Home Slate Begins Next Weekend, Tickets Available Now

Ohio State will begin its home season with two games vs. Lindenwood next weekend in Value City Arena.
The home opener is Friday, with puck drop at 7 p.m. A free tailgate party will be held on the East Plaza (outside the Northeast Rotunda) starting at 5 p.m. The event will include a live performer, DJ, iceless ice skating, food trucks, beverages for purchase, a caricature artist, facepainting, inflatables and more.
Youth Night is set for Saturday, with the game at 5 p.m. All fans 12 and under can purchase tickets for a discounted price and there will be an Ohio State hockey tape giveaway for the first 200 youth players, as well as a concession discount for all youth wearing their team jersey or apparel. Youth players and coaches are invited to a free pregame chalk talk (free registration). A postgame autograph session with half the Buckeye squad will be available.
Details on the opening-weekend events and other promotions throughout the season, are HERE.
Season, mini-plan, group and single game tickets for all regular season home games are on sale now. More information and purchasing options are HERE. Parking is free for all men's hockey games in Value City Arena.

How it Happened

The Buckeyes outshot Mercyhurst, 18-6, in the first period, but the Lakers led 1-0 after 20 minutes. Philip Waugh tallied at 12:04 following a turnover in the Ohio State zone.
Ohio State again dominated in shots in the second period, with an 18-7 edge, but were behind at the end of the stanza, 2-1.
Michael Gildon put the Buckeyes on the board at 3:47. Dalton Messina won a faceoff in the Mercyhurst zone to Theo Wallberg. His backhand pass went to Gildon by the faceoff circle and his shot got through traffic to tie the game at one.
At 6:12 the Laker went back ahead, as Marko Reifenberger scored from right in front off a pass from Tommy Bannister.
No penalties were called in the first and each team had one power play in the second period. Ohio State put six shots on net with the man advantage and did not allow a shot on goal on the penalty kill.
Less than a minute into the third period Theo Wallberg passed to Burnside, who redirected a shot past the Laker goalie to tie the game at two.
Ohio State went on the power play shortly after and took its first lead of the game at 2:13. Max Montes set up Scooter Brickey for a one-timer and he put the Buckeyes up 3-2. Wallberg had the second assist on the tally.
Burnside's second of the night gave Ohio State a two-goal cushion. Montes forced a turnover in the Laker zone and passed to Stephen Halliday. He found Burnside down low and he scored on a backhand at 18:46.
With their net empty, the Lakers scored in the final second for the 4-3 final. Mickey Burns had the goal, which came after a scramble in front.
Ohio State outshot Mercyhurst 12-8 in the third and ended the game ahead in shots, 48-21.
The Buckeyes had the only power play goal, converting once on four chances, and the penalty kill was 3-for-3, allowing just two shots while down a man.
In his first start for the Buckeyes, Logan Terness played all 60 minutes in goal for Ohio State and had 18 saves.

Buckeye This and that

Freshmen Nathan McBrayer, Max Montes, Sam Deckhut, William Smith, Ryan Gordon and Theo Wallberg all made their collegiate debuts.
Transfers Mason Klee, Brent Johnson, Riley Hughes, Jake Dunlap, Damien Carfagna and Logan Terness all made their first appearance in the Scarlet and Gray.
Davis Burnside had his third career two-goal game. He scored twice last season vs. Minnesota Oct. 2, 2022 and vs. Bowling Green Dec. 17, 2022.
Scooter Brickey marked his 100th collegiate game.

Assists on Michael Gildon's second-period goal credited to Theo Wallberg - his first collegiate assist and point - and Dalton Messina.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/cHm4EoLKAt
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) October 8, 2023

Burnside ties the game at 2! Assist to Wallberg, his second of the game.

P3 | 19:03 left | OSU 2, MU 2 #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/fffiGttps9
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) October 8, 2023

Goal! Brickey puts the Buckeyes in the lead with a power play goal.

Assist to Montes (his first collegiate point) and Wallberg (his third assist of the game).

P3 | 17:47 left | OSU 3, MU 2#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/roaLfEvlGW
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) October 8, 2023

GOAL! Burnside's second of the night puts the Buckeyes up 4-2 with 1:14 left in the third. Assists to Halliday and Montes (his second of the game).#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2I2KP3cbgn
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) October 8, 2023