Buckeyes Down No. 16 Wisconsin, 2-1, to Complete Sweep

Saturday, October 19

Madison, Wis.

7 pm ET

Ohio State

3-0-1, 2-0-0

Wisconsin

1-3-0, 0-2-0

Ohio St.

Wisconsin

Buckeyes Down No. 16 Wisconsin, 2-1, to Complete Sweep

10/19/2024 9:43:00 PM | General, Men's Ice Hockey

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Rohlik records 200th coaching victory

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men's hockey team posted a second straight 2-1 win at No. 16/15 Wisconsin Saturday to close out a sweep of the Badgers in the first Big Ten series of the season for both teams. The win was the 200th career victory for Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik. Ohio State, which won in overtime Friday, is now 3-0-1 on the year, with Wisconsin 1-3-0.

Riley Thompson scored for Ohio State just 21 seconds into the game and the lead held until Max Montes tallied 1:01 into the third period for a 2-0 advantage. Wisconsin got on the board at 8:17 but the Buckeyes were able to close out the win. Buckeye goalie Kristoffer Eberly made 28 saves in the game and the Buckeyes blocked 16 shots as a team, while going 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

A Wisconsin native, Montes has tallied in each of the first four games this season, totaling five goals, and had both gamewinning goals this weekend.

Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
On the victory …
"I give credit to our guys for grinding out a win, especially because we were shorthanded on the bench from early in the game with Patrick Guzzo out with an injury. They hung in there. Getting a sweep on the road in the Big Ten is a big deal. I'm proud of our guys."

On his 200th coaching win …
"Like I told our guys, this really isn't about me. What the number means to me is about all the great players I've been able to coach and all the great coaches and staff I've been able to work with. The best part is the players and the people."

How it Happened

The lone goal of the first period came just 21 seconds into the game. Damien Carfagna passed across the blueline to Aiden Hansen-Bukata and Riley Thompson redirected his shot from in front. Thompson is on a three-game point streak and Hansen-Bukata has a team-best five assists on the year.
The teams combined for just 11 shots on goal in the opening stanza, with Ohio State ahead 6-5. Each team had a power play chance in the first.
Wisconsin carried play through much of the second, outshooting Ohio State 11-2.
On the only power play of the middle period, the Buckeyes had the best scoring chance. A Davis Burnside shot was called a goal on the ice, but after review, the call was overturned, as the shot hit the crossbar.
Early in the third, a shot by Nathan Lewis was blocked in front, but Max Montes was there for the rebound and a 2-0 Buckeye lead at 1:01. Nathan McBrayer had the second assist on the goal, Montes' fifth of the year.
Wisconsin cut the Buckeye lead in half at 8:17 when Quinn Finley got to a loose puck in the crease.
The Badgers pulled their goalie with 2:33 remaining. The Buckeyes blocked two shots and goalie Kristoffer Eberly had two saves while Wisconsin had the extra skater to help close out the victory.
Shots were 13-12 in favor of Wisconsin in the third period.
Ohio State was outshot, 29-20, in the contest. Eberly made 28 saves in all 60 minutes and Wisconsin's William Gramme had 18 stops in 57:23.
The Buckeyes had one power play chance in the game and were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Next Up

Ohio State will take on Bowling Green in a home-and-home series, with game one in Columbus at 7 p.m. Friday and game two in Bowling Green at 7:37 p.m. Saturday.
Single game, miniplan and group tickets are all available now. 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.