Ohio State Downs AIC, 5-2

Saturday, October 12

Columbus, Ohio

5 pm

Ohio State

1-0-1

American International

0-2-1

American International

Ohio State

Ohio State Downs AIC, 5-2

10/12/2024 9:36:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score Box Score Coach Rohlik & Carfagna Postgame Press Conference

Nine Buckeyes tally a point in nonconference victory

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A three-goal run led the Ohio State men's hockey team to a 5-2 win over American International Saturday in Value City Arena in Columbus. The Buckeyes end the season-opening series with the Yellow Jackets 1-0-1, with a 3-3 overtime tie Friday. The series marked the first games between the teams.

Ohio State opened the scoring almost midway through the first period before AIC answered just 31 seconds later. A Buckeye goal less than two minutes after that put Ohio State in the lead and they did not trail the rest of the way. Two goals early in the second pushed Ohio State's lead to 4-1 through 40 minutes. AIC converted a power play chance less than four minutes into the third but the Buckeyes did not allow another goal and sealed the win with a shorthanded empty net score.

Riley Thompson and Damien Carfagna led the Buckeyes with two points on a goal and an assist each and Joe Dunlap had two helpers. Goalie Kristoffer Eberly made 26 stops for the Scarlet and Gray.

How it Happened

Buckeye sophomore Ryan Gordon opened the scoring at 9:44 of the first period. The AIC goalie misplayed the puck behind the net and it went to Gordon in front for his first goal of the year.
AIC answered just 31 seconds later on a goal from Brett Bamber.
Riley Thompson recorded his first goal in the Scarlet and Gray at 12:32 for a 2-1 Buckeye advantage, knocking in the puck from in front. Davis Burnside and Aiden Hansen-Bukata assisted on the score.
The Buckeyes held the lead the rest of the way, extending the advantage with the only two goals of the second period.
Just 20 seconds into the middle stanza Patrick Guzzo put in the rebound of a shot from Damien Carfagna, with Joe Dunlap also picking up an assist.
At 4:07 Max Montes redirected a Dunlap pass over the goalie for a 4-1 Ohio State lead. Theo Wallberg had the second helper on the goal, Montes' second of the year.
Ohio State outshot AIC 22-15 through the first two periods (12-8 in the first, 10-7 in the second).
AIC's Josh Barnes scored on the power play at 3:11 of the third for a 4-2 game.
The Buckeyes killed two power plays in the final 5:10 of the game to help close out the victory.
Carfagna added an insurance goal with 19 seconds remaining, tallying a shorthanded empty net goal (shot from the Buckeye zone) with the teams skating 6-on-4. Thompson assisted on the tally.
AIC outshot Ohio State 13-5 in the third period, including seven on the power play.
Buckeye goalie Kristoffer Eberly had 12 saves in the third and 26 total in the game to pick up the win. AIC's Peyton Grainer made 22 saves in 59:09. The Buckeyes put 27 shots on net.
Carfagna led Ohio State with two shot blocks, with the team combining for nine total. AIC blocked 14 Ohio State shot attempts.
The Buckeyes were 0-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.

Up Next
The Buckeyes will hit the road for two games at No. 9 Wisconsin, opening Big Ten play. The squads will meet at 8 p.m. ET Friday and 7 p.m. ET Saturday in Madison, Wis., with the games streamed through B1G+ and on Ohio State Radio.

Ticket Info
Season tickets, which start as low as $167, are on sale now, as are single game, miniplan and group tickets. Ticket information and purchasing options are online HERE. Fans can also contact the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-GOBUCKS (select Option 2, then Option 2) or Athletic.tix@osu.edu. Customer service representatives are available via phone Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Parking is free for all men's hockey home games.