Ohio State then-junior goaltender Tommy Nappier (37) deflects a Wisconsin shot at the goal during the Ohio State-Wisconsin game on Feb.28. Ohio State lost 2-3. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
When the 2019-20 men’s hockey season was canceled due to COVID-19, Ohio State was fresh off sweeping the Wisconsin Badgers and en route to a Big Ten Tournament semi-final game against Michigan at Nationwide Arena. The remainder of the season was canceled three days before that semifinal game.
After a little more than a month’s delay, the Buckeyes are preparing for another season in one of the toughest leagues in college hockey. No. 9 Ohio State opens its season Monday on the road against the No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers, who were picked to win the Big Ten in the coaches’ preseason poll.
Minnesota opened its season Thursday against Penn State, beating the Nittany Lions 4-1. Four different skaters scored, all in the second and third periods. The second game of the series is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday.
“Great first game for us just to get a win and have that feeling in the locker room,” Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said Thursday. “I’m proud of our guys tonight.”
Ohio State finished 1-2-1-0 against Minnesota in the 2019-20 season, dropping the series in Minneapolis to the Gophers. Sophomore forward Ben Meyers, junior forward Sampo Ranta and senior forward Brannon McManus each scored in both games of Minnesota’s home sweep of the Buckeyes last year.
The Golden Gophers return nine of their top-10 point -scorers from a year ago, including their top six — good for the most returning experience in the Big Ten.
Ohio State returns 50 percent of its goal-scoring production and 48.8 percent of its total point scoring from the 2019-20 season. The Buckeyes lost top goal -scorers Tanner Laczynski and Carson Meyer,; while junior forwards Quinn Preston and Gustaf Westlund are the leaders among returning skaters.
A chart depicting the 2020-21 schedule for Ohio State men’s hockey and the Buckeyes’ record against each team during the 2019-20 season. Credit: Collin Ginnan | Lantern Reporter
Team-voted rookie of the year and sophomore forward Tate Singleton and most improved players, sophomore forward Jaedon Leslie, junior forward Matthew Jennings and senior forward Eugene Fadyeyev all return.
“Tate is such an energy player and you need that, he can be anywhere in your lineup,” Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik said at Big Ten preseason media availability Nov. 10. “Jaedon, with an injury early last year set him back a little bit, but as the year continued to progress his game progressed. I’m looking to him to play up the middle where we need some centers and to lean on him a little bit more.”
Senior Tommy Nappier, 2019-20 team MVP and former Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, Tommy Nappier returns in net for the Buckeyes. The senior goalie posted a .932 save percentage and 2.04 goals allowed average last season, good for No. 8 and No. 11 nationally.
As the Buckeyes head on their first road trip of the season, Rohlik pointed to his veteran leadership as a key factor to their success this season.
“I want to build it from the net out, when you’ve got a guy like Tommy Nappier coming back,” Rohlik said. “We’re going to rely on him and certainly our older leadership group with [senior forward] (Austin) Pooley coming back, Gustaf Westlund, Quinn Preston and [senior defenseman] Grant Gabriele. Those are the guys I’m leaning on.”
The Buckeyes and Golden Gophers open the series Monday at 8:30 p.m. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Game two is slated to start at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Standings for the 2020-21 Big Ten men’s hockey season as of Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. Credit: Collin Ginnan | Lantern Reporter
