No. 11 Buckeyes Fall to No. 3 Golden Gophers

Friday, January 10

Columbus, Ohio

5 pm

Ohio State

15-5-1, 8-3-0

Minnesota

17-4-2, 8-2-1

Minnesota

Ohio State

No. 11 Buckeyes Fall to No. 3 Golden Gophers

1/11/2025 10:42:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2 Photo Gallery 3

Ohio State drops first home game of the season as teams split series

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11-ranked Ohio State men's hockey team ended the weekend with a series split of its Big Ten series with No. 3 Minnesota as it fell, 6-1, to the Gophers Saturday in Value City Arena in Columbus. Minnesota jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period en route to the victory.

The loss was the first for Ohio State at home this season, as the squad is 9-1-1 in Columbus. The Buckeyes are 15-6-1 overall, with an 8-4-0 2-1-0 Big Ten ledger. The Gophers improve to 18-4-2 and 9-2-1 1-0-0 in league play.

The Schedule Ahead

Ohio State is off next weekend (Jan. 17-18) and will return to action with a road series at Penn State Jan. 24-25.
The next home games are vs. No. 1-ranked Michigan State Jan. 30 (8 p.m.) and Feb. 1 (7 p.m.) in Value City Arena in Columbus.
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.

How it Happened

Minnesota opened the scoring just 2:42 into the game on a power play goal after the Buckeyes were called for too many men on the ice. Even strength goals 15 seconds apart, at 7:49 and 8:04, moved the Minnesota lead to 3-0. The Gophers outshot the Buckeyes 16-8 in the opening 20 minutes.
Two power play goals in the second period – at 3:36 and 13:55 – put Minnesota up 5-0. Ohio State had 18 shots on net in the stanza, with the Gophers putting eight on the cage.
The Gophers moved the score to 6-0 with a goal 8:24 into the third.
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine broke up the shutout for the Buckeyes with a power play goal at 17:45, scoring from the faceoff circle off an assist from Damien Carfagna. Max Montes also assisted on the tally, Fontaine's team-best 11th of the year and his sixth on the power play.
Each team ended the game with 33 shots, with Minnesota ahead 9-7 in the final period. Kristoffer Eberly started for the Buckeyes and had 19 saves, allowing five goals, in 33:55. Logan Terness closed out the game and had eight saves on nine shots in 26:05. Minnesota's Liam Souliere had 32 saves in all 60 minutes.
Minnesota was 3-for-4 on the power play. Ohio State was 1-for-4, including an extended 5x3 advantage in the second period it was unable to capitalize on.
Ohio State had 13 shot blocks, with Brent Johnson, Nathan McBrayer, Thomas Weis and Dylan Godbout each blocking two.

Noting the Buckeyes

Fontaine leads the Buckeyes with 24 points and 11 goals and is on an eight-game scoring streak (7g, 5a, 12p). He has a team-best six power play goals as well.
The Buckeyes have a power play goal in each of the last nine games and are 17-for-79 (.215) on the year.
Ohio State had a nine-game winning streak at home end with the loss.
The six goals allowed marked the first time this season Ohio State gave up more than four goals and it was just the third time allowing more than three. The Buckeyes are averaging 2.18 goals allowed per game on the year.
Davis Burnside marked the 100th game of his collegiate career.

Coach Rohlik spoke to the media following tonight's loss to Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/aNX8XzK9SM
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 12, 2025