Buckeyes Drop B1G Game to Minnesota, 6-3

Thursday, December 4

Columbus, Ohio

7:30 p.m.

Ohio State

5-10-0, 1-6-0

Minnesota

8-9-1, 4-3-0

Minnesota

Ohio State

Buckeyes Drop B1G Game to Minnesota, 6-3

12/4/2025 10:25:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

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Ohio State closes 2025 slate Friday

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men's hockey lost to Minnesota, 6-3, Thursday in a Big Ten Conference game in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes rallied from down 3-1 to tie the game in the third, but Minnesota broke the deadlock less than two minutes later and added two empty net goals for the final.

The Buckeyes (5-10, 1-6 B1G) and Gophers (8-9-1, 4-3-0 B1G) close out the series and the 2025 portion of the Ohio State schedule at 6 p.m. Friday in Columbus on Holidays & Hockey Night. The game includes a Buckeye hockey themed oven mitt giveaway (first 2,000 fans) and an ugly holiday sweater contest. The annual Teddy Bear Toss will be postgame. Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently used stuffed animal to throw on the ice, with donations collected and delivered to Ronald McDonald House.

The Short Story
The teams were scoreless through the first period, combining for 19 shots on goal, with the Buckeyes 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in the stanza. A 4x4 goal from Buckeye Max Montes opened the scoring in the first minute of the second period. The Gophers scored the next three, in a span of less than six minutes, for a 3-1 lead at 9:14. Felix Caron drew the Buckeyes within one for a 3-2 game through 40 minutes. Montes' second of the night deadlocked the score at three 4:52 into the third, but Brody Lamb answered for the Gophers less than two minutes later to regain the Minnesota lead. The Gophers notched two empty net goals in the last 1:21 to seal the win.

Ohio State outshot Minnesota, 35-28, in the game. The Buckeyes did not have a power play chance and were 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.

How it Happened

Neither team found the back of the net in the first period. Minnesota outshot the Buckeyes, 11-8, and the Buckeyes killed two Gopher power play chances.
With the teams skating 4-on-4 after matching minors that carried over from the first, Max Montes put the Buckeyes on the board. He took a pass from Nathan McBrayer and passed to James Hong. His shot was saved, but Montes was there to put the rebound home 49 seconds into the period.
Minnesota's Brodie Zimmer tied the game with a power play goal at 3:50. Two Gopher goals in less than a minute, from Teddy Townsend at 9:03 and Beckett Hendrickson at 9:40, gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
Buckeye Felix Caron tallied from the high slot at 13:24, assisted by Riley Thompson and Ethan Straky, to make it a one-goal game.
The Buckeyes outshot the Gophers, 17-9, in the second period and Minnesota had the only power play chance.
Montes tied the game at 4:52. After Montes won the faceoff in the Gopher zone, Chris Able put the puck toward net and Montes finished the play for a 3-3 game.
Brody Lamb's goal on the rush at 6:40 moved Minnesota back ahead.
The Buckeyes pulled their goalie with just under two minutes remaining and the Gophers tallied at 18:39 and 19:53 to clinch the win.
Ohio State had the edge in shots in the third, 10-8, and in the game, 35-28. Buckeye goalie Kristoffer Eberly made 22 saves in 58:46 and Minnesota's Luca Di Pasquo had 32 stops in all 60 minutes.
Ohio State blocked 13 Gopher shots, led by McBrayer and William Smith with three each. Minnesota had 19 shot blocks.
The Buckeyes were 2-for-3 on the penalty kill and did not have a power play chance.

Buckeye This and That

Ohio State has had a player with a two-goal game in three straight contests. Davis Burnside scored twice in game one at Arizona State, with Adam Eisele tallying twice in game two vs. the Sun Devils.
Montes now has four career two-goal outings and it was his first since Oct. 18, 2024 at Wisconsin. He has seven goals this year to share the team lead with Eisele.
Caron leads the Buckeyes with 12 points, ranking second with six goals.
The last time Ohio State did not have a power play in a game was Feb. 22 at Minnesota.
The Buckeyes are 50-for-61 (.820) on the penalty kill this season and 10-for-47 (.213) on the power play.