Junior forward Travis Treloar (94) readies himself on the ice during the Ohio State-Penn State game Sunday. Ohio State won 3-1. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
No. 3 seed Ohio State got revenge against the team that ruined its postseason hopes last season, beating No. 6 seed Penn State in Game 3 Sunday to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
The Buckeyes (20-14-3, 11-11-2 Big Ten) got goals from defensemen sophomore Cole McWard and senior Scooter Brickey in the second period to bury the Nittany Lions (21-15-1, 10-13-1 Big Ten) and secure a 3-1 victory.
Last season, these same teams met in the quarterfinal round. Ohio State took the opening game 4-3 but could not close out the series, dropping the second 3-2 and the decider 2-1. For Brickey and the rest of the team, getting revenge and preventing history from repeating was relieving.
“A lot of guys in the locker room were telling me that feeling, and, I know how it feels to lose as well,” Brickey said. “Everyone goes through it, so it was definitely a big game for us to get that.”
After a 1-0 Nittany Lions lead, McWard took feeds from forwards fifth-year Jake Wise and freshman Stephen Halliday at 12:08 in the second period to net the tying puck via the power play.
Three minutes later, Ohio State got a three-on-one breakaway opportunity, with Brickey taking an assist from senior defenseman Dominic Vidoli to give the Scarlet and Gray a 2-1 lead.
After Penn State lifted junior goalie Liam Souliere in the final minutes of the third period, senior forward Tate Singleton scored a length-of-the-ice, empty-net goal to seal the 3-1 win.
Senior forward Kevin Wall supplied the only offense for Penn State, scoring his team-leading 16th goal at 6:28 in the second period after getting a one-on-one breakaway against sophomore goalie Jakub Dobeš. Senior forward Connor McMenamin and freshman defenseman Dylan Gratton assisted in the play.
Sophomore defenseman Mason Lohrei appeared to get Ohio State on the board in the first period at 10:03. However, Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky challenged the play, calling for goaltender interference. The replay crew agreed, and the goal was taken off the board.
Bad luck would strike the Buckeyes again in the second period. Singleton thought he tied the game at 8:57, but an official review after another challenge by Gadowsky deemed the puck was kicked in and didn’t count.
Head coach Steve Rohlik credited his team for not being discouraged and staying focused despite the hardships.
“[We were] just being resilient in our team, believing,” Rohlik said. “It was kind of like: ‘Does that one count? Does that one count?’ And then finally getting [the first goal] to go and then getting the second one was huge for us.”
The Nittany Lions got their first power play at 12:35 in the first period, but it was short-lived when Penn State graduate forward Ashton Calder got called for roughing to even the field at four-on-four. The Buckeyes could not capitalize on their brief five-on-four session.
The roles reversed in the second period. Ohio State got a power play 41 seconds in, but Brickey was called for tripping 1:14 later to negate the opportunity.
The Buckeye special teams unit had the upper hand, converting one power play goal and killing all four Nittany Lion opportunities. Penn State was 0-3 with the man advantage and lost the penalty battle 6-3.
“Special teams are a big part of this game,” Brickey said. “Especially going late in the season here, going into the [NCAA] tournament, and finishing out this Big Ten Tournament as well.”
Penn State outshot Ohio State 31-25, but the Buckeyes were efficient with their attempts, netting three goals with two more taken off the board via review.
Dobeš outsaved Souliere 30-22, finishing a weekend that saw the Buckeye goalie only surrender four goals.
[We talk] a lot about staying five-man connected and just buying in defensively,” Rohlik said. “And then when you’ve got [Dobeš] back there playing nuts, it certainly helps.”
Ohio State travels to Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to play the No. 2 seed Wolverines in a Big Ten semifinal game Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with Big Ten Network televising.
