COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 11 Ohio State men’s hockey team shut out No. 20 Michigan State, 2-0, Sunday afternoon in Value City Arena to close out a sweep of the Big Ten series. Buckeye goalie Tommy Nappier stopped all 23 shots he faced, while Tanner Laczynski scored the gamewinner in the first period and Gordi Myer sealed the win with an empty net goal.
Ohio State is now 9-4-1 on the year and 5-3-0-0 in Big Ten play to stand in a tie for second place, while the Spartans are 6-7-1 and 4-3-1-0 in league action.
Up Next
The Buckeyes wrap up the first half of their schedule with a series vs. Minnesota next weekend. The teams will meet Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in Value City Arena.
The Short Story – Ohio State 2, Michigan State 0
Tanner Laczynski scored unassisted 13:14 into the game for a 1-0 Buckeye lead. It was the lone goal until Gordi Myer scored an empty net goal from behind the Buckeye goal line in the final minute for a 2-0 lead. Tommy Nappier had 23 saves for the shutout, including 12 stops in the third period. Ohio State blocked 17 shot attempts and the Buckeye penalty kill was 4-for-4, including two stops in the first half of the opening stanza.
After the 2-0 win:
⚫️ Game puck to G Tommy Nappier (23 save shutout)
🎩 Hard hat to D Gordi Myer (Empty net goal, 3 blocks, +1)#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/jwL1yGEfRi— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) December 1, 2019
Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik
“We had a really good video session this morning and a good meeting. We talk a lot about compete and we wanted to come out tonight and compete in every phase. We had a great start. We put a couple good periods together and certainly again, playing with the lead helps.”
Quoting Buckeye junior goalie Tommy Nappier
“My forwards were coming back hard and the D were playing good defense keeping them on the outside and clearing out the front of the net so I could see the puck.”
Postgame comments from Tommy Nappier, Tanner Laczynski and Coach Rohlik after the 2-0 win over the Spartans.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/nmDLojQetw
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) December 1, 2019
Ohio State 2, Michigan State 0
In the First … Tanner Laczynski scored what would stand as the gamewinner 13:14 into the opening period. He forced a turnover along the boards, turned and shot into an open net with the goalie unable to recover from an earlier attempt by Quinn Preston. Ohio State outshot Michigan State, 14-7, in the period. Ohio State stopped two power play chances in the first 10 minutes of the game, allowing just three shots on goal.
Steal the puck, turn and score!
Tanner Laczynski put the Buckeyes on the board in the first period. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/aXifzQVUi6
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) December 1, 2019
In the Second … Ohio State carried play in the middle period, outshooting Michigan State, 18-4, but was unable to extend its lead.
In the Third … With the Buckeyes holding the 1-0 lead, the Spartans made a push in the third period, outshooting Ohio State, 12-6, but Nappier and the Buckeyes completed the shutout. Defenseman Gordi Myer sealed the win, putting a shot nearly the length of the ice into the Spartan net. Ronnie Hein assisted on the goal, Myer’s second of the year. Ohio State allowed just one shot on goal on a Spartan power play 4:52 into the period.
🎯 Gordi Myer – at the boards BEHIND the Buckeye goal line – sealed the shutout win for Ohio State.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/kIfHp9MkUm
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) December 1, 2019
Shots … The Buckeyes outshot the Spartans, 38-23, in the win. Nappier had 23 saves in all 60 minutes for his sixth shutout as a Buckeye. John Lethemon had 36 stops in 59:06 for the Spartans. Ohio State blocked 17 shots, led by Austin Pooley with four. Layton Ahac, Myer and Preston each had three shot blocks.
Special Teams … Each team’s penalty kill was 4-for-4.
Buckeye This and That … Laczynski’s gamewinning goal was the 11th of his Buckeye career, tying for second among current NCAA skaters … he shares the team point lead with 14 this season and has a point in nine of 14 games this year … Myer now has a career-high two goals this year … Nappier is now fifth in program history with six shutouts … the Buckeyes are seventh nationally, allowing 1.93 goals a game … freshman Jaedon Leslie made his Buckeye debut.
