No. 17 Ohio State Ties Badgers, Wins Shootout

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 17 Ohio State men’s hockey team came from a goal down twice to tie Wisconsin, 2-2, and then prevailed in a shootout to take the extra Big Ten point Sunday in the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. The Buckeyes had goals from Quinn Preston and Georgii Merkulov in regulation, Jake Wise and Eric Cooley scored in the shootout and freshman goalie Jakub Dobeš had a career-high 38 saves, along with three stops in the shootout. The Buckeye penalty kill was 6-for-6 vs. the Badgers.

Ohio State ends the weekend with 5-of-6 Big Ten points after a 5-3 win Saturday in the series opener vs. the Badgers (6-13-3, 3-8-1-1-1-0). In the B1G, each team gets a point if a game is tied after regulation and overtime. The game is recorded as a tie and the shootout winner gets an extra point in the standings.

The Buckeyes are now unbeaten in seven straight games (6-0-1) and are 15-6-1 overall on the year. In the Big Ten, Ohio State is 7-3-1-0-0-0-1. At the midway point of the conference slate, Ohio State is tied for second with Michigan with 23 points each, two behind Minnesota and one ahead of Notre Dame.

Up Next

The Buckeyes will return home for their lone January series in Columbus, hosting Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena in the Schottenstein Center. The Friday game will be streamed through B1G+, with BTN televising game two. Ohio State Radio will also carry the action.

Tickets are available online at OhioStateBuckeyes.com and at the ticket office on game night. Parking is free in gameday lots. TICKET INFORMATION

The Short Story

The only goal of the first period was a shorthanded score by Wisconsin at 12:45. Ohio State tied the game 5:40 into the second on a Quinn Preston tally. In the third, the Badgers took the lead at 14:26, but just 40 seconds later Cam Thiesing set up a Georgii Merkulov goal to tie the game.

Neither team scored in five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime, with the Buckeyes killing a power play in the final 27 seconds. In the shootout, Jake Wise answered a Badger goal in the first round. Jakub Dobeš made saves on the next three shots, with Cooley clinching the shootout victory with a goal in round four.

Ohio State was 6-for-6 on the penalty kill in the game, including an extended 5-on-3 in the first period.

Dobeš ended the game with a personal-best 38 saves for the Buckeyes. Merkulov and Thiesing both had two-point nights.

Quoting Buckeye head coach Steve Rohlik

“It’s always hard to get a sweep in college hockey, especially on the road. It’s nice to get the extra Big Ten point out of that game. The guys found a way.”

 Quoting Buckeye senior Quinn Preston

“This was a great weekend getting back into Big Ten play, especially getting a sweep on the road. We’re just looking to continue playing good hockey and stringing together wins.”

🚨 Quinn Preston's third goal of the year tied the game earlier in the second.

Assists were to Merkulov and Thiesing.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ySCkRLVmoh

— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 9, 2022

🚨 Cam Thiesing set up Georgii Merkulov for the game-tying goal.

Merkulov's team-best 11th goal and 21st point of the season.

Thiesing's second assist of the night and fourth point of the weekend. pic.twitter.com/wHmSvelzek

— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 9, 2022

Shootout goals from Jake Wise and Eric Cooley for the B1G points! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/dUOIR2QEOe

— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 9, 2022

How It Happened

• The Buckeyes trailed the Badgers, 1-0, after the first period.
• Ohio State was outshot 10-1 to start the game, but ended the period down 14-10.
• Ohio State killed an extended 5-on-3 power play chance for Wisconsin early in the period.
• On the Buckeyes’ first power play Wisconsin opened the scoring, as Zach Urdahl competed a 2-on-1 at 12:45. It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by Ohio State this season.
• In the second, Quinn Preston tied the game. Georgii Merkulov put a shot on net and Preston was there to knock it home. Cam Thiesing also assisted on the goal, which came at 5:40.
• Shots were 13-13 in the second.
• In the third, Jesper Peltonen intercepted a Buckeye clearing attempt up the boards and his shot from the point got through at 14:26.
• Just 40 seconds later, Preston pressured a Badger and he turned it over to Thiesing, who found Merkulov in the slot for a one-timer, tying the game at 15:06.
• Ohio State had the shot advantage in the third, 13-9.
• In overtime, the teams combined for seven shots on goal, with UW ahead, 4-3. The Badgers had a power play chance with 27 seconds left, but Dobeš made two saves and Jake Wise blocked a shot to close out the tie.
• Wisconsin ended the game ahead in shots, 40-39.
• The Buckeyes were 6-for-6 on the penalty kill in the game, with the power play 0-for-3.
• Dobeš made 38 saves in the Buckeye net. Mason Lohrei had three of the Buckeyes’ 10 shot blocks, with Cole McWard and Wise each blocking two.
• In the shootout, Wisconsin scored first, with Wise answering. Neither team was able to score in the next two rounds. In round four, Dobeš made a save and Eric Cooley clinched the shootout victory.

Buckeye This and That

• Merkulov leads the Buckeyes with 11 goals and 22 points. He scored the third period gamewinner Saturday before netting the game-tying score Sunday.
• Thiesing had his second straight two-point night with two assists and is on a five-game point streak (3g, 4a, 7p). He has five goals, 12 assists and 17 points this season.
• The Buckeyes’ seven-game unbeaten streak is the longest since the 2019 team won seven in a row Jan. 12-Feb. 9, 2019.
• The game was the first time Ohio State won a Big Ten shootout since Feb. 17, 2018 at Minnesota. The team’s last shootout was Feb. 7, 2020 against Penn State.
• Dobeš is 14-5-1 this year, with a 2.14 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
• The Buckeyes were held to less than three goals for the first time in seven games and the sixth time this season. Ohio State is scoring 3.68 goals per game on the year.
• The squad held an opponent to two or fewer goals for the 15th time this season and is allowing 2.23 goals per outing.