The Ohio State hockey team silenced its critics Friday night and continued its press for national acclaim, when it beat the No.1-ranked team in the land, Michigan State, 4-2.’One goal,’ is what OSU coach John Markell sights as the chief difference between Friday’s game and the last game versus MSU, in which the Spartans won 2-1 at the OSU Ice Rink Nov. 21.’I thought we had the talent to compete in this game – that’s the feeling I received all week, that we could play with these guys,’ said Markell. Senior right-wing Todd Compeau began the Buckeye scoring attack when he accepted a wrap-around pass from linemate Dan Cousineau on OSU’s first rush, and placed the puck past MSU Senior goaltender Chad Alban. Compeau’s goal came just :29 into the contest.The second line of Compeau, Chris Richards and Dan Cousineau, would combine for seven points on the evening.’He creates and he puts the puck in the net. That’s why we put him there,’ said Markell of placing Compeau on that second line, which since its inception, hasn’t lost a game.Michigan State’s Mike York then tied the game at 17:24 when he took the a pass from Jeff Kozakowski and waited until Jeff Maund fell on his back, then hammered the puck past him to tie the game.Hugo Boisvert, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s leading scorer, scored OSU’s second goal at the 6:54 mark of the second period. Boisvert, on Ohio State’s first odd man rush, hooked up with linemate Eric Meloche and slid the puck under Alban’s legs, igniting the sellout crowd of 1,502 at the Ohio State Ice Rink.2-1 after two.Compeau once again hooked up with both his linemates and scored OSU’s game-winning third goal, midway through the final frame.Cousineau began the Buckeye break when he passed to Compeau, who passed back to Cousineau, who passed it back to Compeau after Alban bit on his fake, which left Compeau open for the easy go-ahead goal.OSU would hold on through a Kevin O’Keefe goal and would add an insurance goal when Chris Richards scored an empty-netter. Richards was assisted by Jeff Maund who, along with his 30 saves, collected his first collegiate point on the play.Spartans coach Ron Mason respected the Buckeye’s efforts.’Let’s give Ohio State credit where credit is due,’ Mason said. ‘You don’t paint pictures in here – you go out and work hard and take what the game gives you – that’s what they did,’ he added.Markell didn’t downplay the game’s significance.’It would go all for naught – the last seven – if we didn’t win tonight,’ added Markell.The win snaps MSU’s eight game unbeaten streak, and marks OSU’s eighth straight win – the longest in Division I hockey.’It was a good college hockey game,’ said Markell. ‘Both teams worked hard. We won this one and they won the last one,’ which sets up the rubber-match next weekend in East Lansing, MI.On Saturday, the Buckeyes’ eight-game win streak was snapped by Alaska-Fairbanks, which played the Buckeyes to a 4-4 tie. ‘Emotionally we were spent,’ said Markell. ‘There was just no jump in their legs, and that’s understandable.’Ohio State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first period thanks to a pair of power-play goals scored by Ryan Root and a short-handed goal scored by Richards.The lead, however, was quickly lost when the Nanooks scored a full-strength, and two power-play goals in a penalty-ridden second period for OSU. ‘We underestimated them, which was wrong,’ said Boisvert. ‘We can’t do that for any opponent,’ he added. Alaska added a third period goal at the 17:18 mark, only to be followed by an Ohio State goal scored by Boisvert on a lightning-quick pass from Meloche with less than one minute to play in regulation.The teams played the five-minute overtime frame to a stand-off.’I think youth reared its ugly head tonight,’ said Markell.He quickly pointed out, though, that his young team ‘figured out a way to get a point tonight – which was important.’