Ohio State then-junior forward Gustaf Westlund (29) prepares to take a shot at the goal during the Ohio State-Michigan State game on Nov. 28, 2020. Ohio State lost 2-3. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes are set to kick off conference play this weekend, hoping to improve upon the disappointing 6-16 record in league play last campaign.
Ohio State (3-1-0) will host the Michigan State Spartans (3-2-1) for a two-game series that serves as both teams’ first taste of Big Ten play this season. The Spartans come to Columbus following a series with UMass-Lowell where they drew the opener 2-2, before falling 4-0 in game two.
Head coach Steve Rohlik, now in his ninth year with the Buckeyes, is hopeful his team can get off to a strong start in league play, although he said he knows the Spartans will pose a tough test for him and his team.
“Every time we’ve played Michigan State over the years, it’s been a one-goal or overtime game almost every night,” Rohlik said. “We’d love to get off to a good start, but we know it’s going to be a huge challenge against a really good hockey team.”
Rohlik said he and his staff are pleased with the selflessness his team has already shown this season, which he believes comes from time spent together — something his team wasn’t able to do much last season.
“We’ve gotten to be around one another a lot more, from off-ice workouts to the weight room, a lot of team development things we’ve done,” Rohlik said. “It’s not always about being on the ice. We’ve been around one another a lot more than we were last year.”
Ohio State hasn’t taken the ice since sweeping Connecticut Oct. 15-16, as the team was off last weekend. Senior forward Jake Wise, who transferred in from Boston University this past offseason, said the Buckeyes are feeling great ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Spartans.
“We were lucky enough to get a rest weekend early so [we’ve been] staying fresh and keeping our legs,” Wise said. “We had a good week last week, good week of practice, this week’s been good leading up to [Michigan State], so I think we’re just excited to get back going.”
The Buckeyes and Spartans were predicted to finish next to each other in the 2021-22 Big Ten Preseason poll, with Michigan State slated for the sixth spot, and Ohio State just behind them in seventh.
The two teams split their four matchups last season, with each school winning once on their opponent’s home ice.
Senior forward Gustaf Westlund, who has four goals in 10 career games against Michigan State, understands the importance of taking care of business within the conference. Although league play provides added pressure for the Buckeyes, Westlund has told younger teammates it’s something to take in stride.
“Big Ten games are very different from cross-conference play. It’s more of a rivalry when you get into Big Ten games,” Westlund said. “It’s a fun time. I’ve just told them to enjoy it.”
There may not be a Buckeye looking forward to the start of Big Ten play more than Wise, who has played in over 50 collegiate hockey games, but has never faced a school from the Big Ten.
“I’m really excited,” Wise said. “I knew when I was transferring that I wanted to come to the Big Ten. There’s so much history with all the teams in this league, so playing in the Big Ten is going to be a blast. I’m really excited to kick it off this weekend.”
Michigan State is led by fifth-year head coach Danton Cole and will look to improve upon a porous 2020-21 season that saw the Spartans go 7-18-2 and finish in the Big Ten’s cellar.
Three Spartans were named Preseason All-Big Ten Honorable Mention — fifth-year forward Mitchell Lewandowski, senior defenseman Dennis Cesana and senior goaltender Drew DeRidder.
Lewandowski is Michigan State’s leader in points this season with seven, tallying three goals and four assists. The Clarkston, Michigan, native also led the Spartans in points last season, compiling 13 in 27 games.
DeRidder, who was recently named the Big Ten’s Second Star of the week for his performance against UMass-Lowell, has excelled for the Spartans this season, holding a save percentage of .947, which is second in the conference and sixth-best nationally.
Only Ohio State freshman netminder Jakub Dobeš, who carries a .986 save percentage into this weekend, has saved a higher percentage of shots than DeRidder amongst Big Ten goalies. Dobeš has been a revelation for the Buckeyes through four games and owns all three Buckeyes wins this season.
Alongside Dobeš, junior forward Tate Singleton and freshman defenseman Mason Lohrei have shone for the Buckeyes so far this season. Singleton leads Ohio State skaters with three goals and five points, while Lohrei ranks second on the team with four points and paces the team with three assists.
The Buckeyes enter the weekend fourth in the Big Ten in goals per game with 3.75, much better than Michigan State’s 2.33. Ohio State ranks first among Big Ten teams with just 1.50 goals allowed per game, besting the Spartans, who rank fourth with 2.00.
One facet of the game where Ohio State may be able to impose its will is in the faceoff circle, the Buckeyes currently lead the conference with a team faceoff percentage of .617. Michigan State, meanwhile, ranks last in the Big Ten in this department, having won just 51.7 percent of draws through six games.
If Ohio State can capitalize on its advantage in the faceoff department this weekend, it should be able to dictate the pace of play and control the series.
Despite the early season success, Westlund knows he and his teammates can’t take the Spartans lightly, stressing the need to stay locked in and prepared for each game if they want to achieve their long-term aspirations.
“Just got to take one game at a time,” Westlund said. “Focus on the good things and work on the negative things, just keep focusing on one game at a time.”
Both contests will be held inside Value City Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. Both games can be streamed on BTN+ and heard on Ohio State Radio.
