No. 17 Buckeyes Drop Game to No. 4 Nittany Lions, 4-3

Friday, October 31

Columbus, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

Ohio State

4-4-0, 0-2-0

Penn State

9-1-0, 2-0-0

Penn State

Ohio State

No. 17 Buckeyes Drop Game to No. 4 Nittany Lions, 4-3

10/31/2025 10:31:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Series opened Big Ten play for both squads

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 17 Ohio State men's hockey team dropped game two of its Big Ten series to No. 4 Penn State, 4-3, Friday in Value City Arena in Columbus. Penn State scored twice early but the Buckeyes tied the game before the end of the first. Two Nittany Lions goals late in the second period gave PSU the lead. Ohio State notched an extra attacker goal in the final minute but the comeback fell short. Ohio State is now 4-4 on the year (0-2 B1G), with Penn State 9-1 (2-0 B1G).

The Short Story
Penn State scored on its first two power plays, with goals at 4:32 and 6:20, for a 2-0 lead. Adam Eisele put Ohio State on the board at 10:29 and Felix Caron's power play goal tied the game at 16:36. In the second, Penn State tallies at 16:29 and 19:03 pushed the Nittany Lions ahead through 40 minutes. The two-goal edge stood until Buckeye William Smith scored with the extra attacker with 16 seconds remaining. Ohio State was unable to draw closer.

Shots were 34-23 in favor of Penn State in the game. Buckeye freshman goalie Sam Hillebrandt made his first collegiate start and had 30 saves in 55:16. Penn State was 3-for-5 on the power play, with Ohio State 1-for-5.

Caron had two points with a goal and an assist and Jake Karabela posted two assists in the game.

How it Happened

Penn State's Jackson Smith scored on the power play at 4:32 and Matt DiMarsico converted a second power play chance at 6:20 for a 2-0 Nittany Lion lead.
Buckeye Felix Caron picked off a PSU clearing attempt in the neutral zone and passed to Jake Karabela. His pass sent Caron and Eisele on a 2-on-0 and Eisele finished the play at 10:29.
Caron notched a goal of his own at 16:36, one-timing a shot on the power play off an assist from Davis Burnside, with Karabela also assisting.
Shots were 13-9 in favor of the Buckeyes in the period.
Penn State's JJ Wiebusch broke the tie with a power play goal at 16:29 and Dane Dowiak gave the Nittany Lions a two-goal lead at 19:03.
Penn State had the shot advantage in the second, 16-7.
With more than three minutes remaining in the third, the Buckeyes pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. William Smith made it a one-goal game at 19:46, scoring from the faceoff circle off a turnover by Penn State, but Ohio State could not find the equalizer.
In the third, Ohio State outshot Penn State, 12-9.
Penn State ended the game ahead in shots, 34-32. Buckeye freshman goalie Sam Hillebrandt played 55:16 and had 30 saves in his first collegiate game action. PSU's goalie made 29 stops.
Ethan Straky led the Buckeyes with three shot blocks, with Chris Romaine blocking two.
The Buckeyes were 2-for-5 on the penalty kill and 1-for-5 on the power play.

Buckeye This and That

All four Buckeye losses this year have been by one goal.
Caron leads the Buckeyes with eight points and shares the goal lead with Riley Thompson with four each.
Karabela has a team-best six assists. He had three assists in the series and now has two two-assist games as a Buckeye.
The game was the first time this season the Buckeyes allowed more than three goals. The squad is allowing 2.13 goals per game on the year.
The Buckeyes were swept at home for the first time since dropping two games to Penn State March 1-2, 2024.

Thoughts from Coach Rohlik following tonight's game vs. Penn State. pic.twitter.com/IsVCUPDVKR
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) November 1, 2025