No. 11 Buckeyes Top No. 2 Spartans, 4-2

Thursday, January 30

Columbus, Ohio

8 pm

Ohio State

16-7-2, 9-5-1

Michigan State

20-4-3, 11-3-3

Michigan State

Ohio State

No. 11 Buckeyes Top No. 2 Spartans, 4-2

1/30/2025 11:35:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

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Teams close out series at 7 p.m. Friday in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11 Ohio State men's hockey team scored the game's final two goals to defeat No. 2 Michigan State, 4-2, Thursday in Value City Arena.

The Spartans scored early but Buckeye Riley Thompson tallied late in the first and at 3:39 of the second for a 2-1 Ohio State advantage. Michigan State tied the game at 13:41 of the second with a power play tally. In the third, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine put the Buckeyes in the lead at 7:40 soon after a Buckeye power play and Thomas Weis added an insurance goal at 13:33. Buckeye goalie Logan Terness had 35 saves in the win and Ohio State blocked 25 shots.

Ohio State is now 16-7-2 overall, with a 9-5-1 2-2-0 Big Ten ledger. The Spartans are 20-4-3 on the year and have an 11-3-3 2-1-2 B1G mark.

The squads will close the regular season series at 7 p.m. Friday in Columbus. Script Ohio on Ice will be performed during the first intermission. Single game, miniplan and group tickets are all available now. Ticket information and purchasing options are online and 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

Just 3:07 into the game the Spartans took the lead when a sharp angle shot from David Gucciardi went off the Buckeye goalie and in.
Riley Thompson tied the game at 16:27, as he was right in front and deflected a shot from William Smith. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine picked up the second assist on the tally.
The Spartans outshot the Buckeyes in the first, 12-11, and neither team had a power play.
In the second, Max Montes caught Riley Thompson coming out of the penalty box with a stretch pass. Thompson's initial shot, and a second attempt from Nathan Lewis, were both stopped, but Thompson put a third shot in for a 2-1 Buckeye lead at 3:39.
A Michigan State power play goal – scored off the first faceoff of the chance at 13:41 by Karsen Dorwart – tied the game at two.
Michigan State had the shot advantage, 13-8, in the middle period and had two power play chances.
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine put the Buckeyes in the lead at 7:40 of the third just after an Ohio State power play expired. Montes and Thompson cycled the puck down low. Fontaine picked it up and came around the faceoff circle, scoring from the high slot.
Thomas Weis added an insurance goal when he put in the rebound of a James Hong shot. Ryan Gordon had the second assist on the goal, which came at 13:33.
Michigan State skated with its next empty for the final 3:32 and Ohio State closed out the win. With the teams 6x5, Buckeye goalie Logan Terness had five saves and the Buckeyes blocked five Spartan shot attempts. Patrick Guzzo and Brent Johnson each blocked two shots in the final minute of the game.
The teams combined for 22 shots in the final period and the Buckeyes had the lone power play chance.
For the game, Ohio State was outshot, 37-29. Terness played all 60 minutes and made 35 saves. MSU's Trey Augustine had 25 saves in 56:24.
Ohio State blocked 25 Spartan shot attempts. Guzzo led the Buckeyes with four blocks and 14 Buckeyes had at least one.
Michigan State was 1-for-2 on the power play, with Ohio State 0-for-1.

Noting the Buckeyes

Fontaine has a team-best 27 points this season and is second with 15 assists. He has a point in 10 of the last 11 games.
Thompson and Fontaine share the team lead with 12 goals each.
Thompson is second on the team with 24 points, with 12 goals and 12 assists. The game was Thompson's fifth collegiate two-goal game and his third as a Buckeye. It was his fourth collegiate game with three or more points and he now has three three-point days.
Montes had two assists, his third time with two helpers in a game. He has nine goals and nine assists on the year.
Ohio State is 10-1-1 at home this season.
Theo Wallberg was a career-high tying +3 in the game. Thompson was also +3 in the contest.
Guzzo also had four shot blocks vs. Wisconsin last season.

Coach Rohlik and Riley Thompson - who had two goals and three points tonight - spoke after the win over the Spartans.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/5jePtE8ym7
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 31, 2025