Buckeyes Drop Overtime Game to Notre Dame, 4-3

Friday, March 6

Columbus, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

Ohio State

12-20-2, 8-15-1

Notre Dame

9-22-5, 5-17-2

OT 1

Notre Dame

Ohio State

Photo by: Ohio State Athletics

Buckeyes Drop Overtime Game to Notre Dame, 4-3

3/6/2026 11:17:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Big Ten Tournament up next

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men's hockey team lost in overtime to Notre Dame, 4-3, Friday in the Schottenstein Center. The game closed the regular season for the Buckeyes (12-20-2, 8-15-1 B1G) and Irish (9-22-5, 5-17-2 B1G). Both games of the series went to overtime, with the Irish winning each night.

The Short Story
The Buckeyes' Jake Karabela opened the scoring with a power play goal at 15:50 of the first but Notre Dame answered with a power play tally of its own with eight seconds left in the period for a 1-1 game. Buckeye Adam Eisele tallied the only goal of the second and a Sam Deckhut goal at 7:18 of the third put the Buckeyes up 3-1. The Irish drew within one at 8:55 and tied the game with .1 left and the extra attacker on the ice. Notre Dame's gamewinner came at 3:16 of overtime.

The Buckeyes outshot the Irish, 39-22, in the game, including 5-2 in overtime. Ohio State was 1-for-6 on the power play, with Notre Dame 1-for-4.

The loss was the Buckeyes' eighth in overtime this season and was the team's 11th overtime game of the campaign, with a 1-8-2 ledger in the outings.

Ohio State's senior class of Davis Burnside, Jake Dunlap, Adam Eisele and Ethan Straky was recognized pregame.

B1G Tourney Up Next
Ohio State is the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will play a single-elimination quarterfinal game at No. 4 seed Wisconsin at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday in Madison, Wis., with the game on B1G+ and Ohio State Radio.

The single-elimination semifinals will be March 14, with the final March 21. No. 1 seed Michigan State, which receives a first round bye, will host the lowest-seeded advancing team in the semifinals, with the highest-seeded team advancing from the quarterfinals hosting the second-highest advancing team. The highest-seeded team remaining after the semifinals will host the single-elimination championship game.

How it Happened

Jake Karabela scored from the faceoff circle just 10 seconds into a Buckeye power play for a 1-0 lead at 15:50 of the first period, set up by Nathan McBrayer and Felix Caron.
With eight seconds left in the first, Notre Dame tied the game with a power play score.
In the second, Adam Eisele forced a turnover by the Buckeye blueline, setting up a 2-on-1, and he scored on the fly at 10:13 for a 2-1 Ohio State advantage.
Ohio State outshot Notre Dame 10-8 in the first and 9-8 in the second. The Buckeyes were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in the second, including holding the Irish scoreless on a five minute major advantage.
At 7:18 of the third, Sam Deckhut put Ohio State up 3-1. He took a pass from Karabela, drove past his defender to get to the front of the net and put a backhand shot five-hole. Ethan Straky had the second assist on the tally.
The Irish drew within on at 8:55. With the net empty, an Irish shot got through traffic and in with just .1 on the clock to tie the game and force overtime.
Notre Dame notched the gamewinner at 3:16 of overtime on an odd-man rush.
The Buckeyes outshot Notre Dame 15-4 in the third period and 5-2 in the overtime.
For the game, Ohio State had the advantage in shots, 39-22. Buckeye goalie Sam Hillebrandt made 18 stops in 63:16.
Ohio State blocked 15 shots, with Ryan Gordon first with three and Sam McGinley, William Smith and Bryce Ingles each blocking two.
On the power play, Ohio State was 1-for-6 and Notre Dame was 1-for-4.

Buckeye This and That

Four of the Buckeyes' last five games, and each of the last three, have gone to overtime.
Karabela had his sixth two-point game and eighth multiple-point outing of the season with a goal and an assist. He leads Ohio State with 31 points and 19 assists, tying for second with 12 goals. The goal was his fifth power play score.
The Buckeyes are 28-for-124 (.226) on the power play this year.
Eisele is tied for fifth on the team with 11 goals on the year.
Deckhut has a point in three of the last five games.
Caron is third on the squad with 27 points, on 12 goals and 15 assists.
Riley Thompson had a six-game point streak end.
The Buckeyes have scored at least three goals in each of the last seven games and are now averaging 3.12 goals per game this season.