Senior forward Patrick Guzzo (71) moves the puck down the ice during the Ohio State-Michigan game on Feb. 19, 2021. Ohio State won 3-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File Photo
From Michigan’s hockey heartland to Ohio State’s scarlet and gray, Patrick Guzzo’s journey has crafted a compelling story of skill and determination on the ice.
Guzzo, a fourth-year forward from Marysville, Michigan, came up through the Little Caesars youth hockey club, moved on to play with the U.S. Hockey League team in Iowa — the Waterloo Blackhawks — and was recruited by head coach Steve Rohlik when he put up solid numbers in two years of play.
“You walk into a building, and the first thing you see is a 6-foot-3 kid that can skate and is big and strong. Those are things that grab you right away,” Rohlik said.
As a Blackhawk, Guzzo put up 24 points in 44 games, with 12 goals and 12 assists in 2019-20, had a 6-10-16 line in 54 games in 2018-19 and was named to the 2020 BioSteel All-American Game but could not play because of an undisclosed injury.
“When I got drafted in Waterloo, Iowa, I was surprised — I didn’t even know there was hockey in Iowa. It’s crazy, but the fans there love hockey. I spent two years there, went to high school, graduated and experienced a passionate fan base,” Guzzo said. “We’d sell out every night, and the Cowbells were crazy. I had a great time and met some amazing people, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
Once it came time to decide where to play hockey at the collegiate level, Guzzo was initially committed to playing at the University of Michigan, staying near home. But the commitment fell through and Guzzo received a call from the Buckeye coaching staff.
“One thing that drew me here was how much they were interested in me and how much they wanted me to come here and be a part of the program,” Guzzo said.
Guzzo said he believed Ohio State’s program would give him the best chance at reaching his goal of one day making it to the professional level.
Since then, Guzzo has had a prolific three-year career as a Buckeye, with three Ohio State Scholar-Athlete Awards and two Academic All-Big Ten honors to his name.
In his 100 games played, Guzzo has contributed 18 goals and 33 points on the ice.
His roommate since sophomore year, fellow senior forward Joe Dunlap, said Guzzo is a crucial presence in the locker room. Dunlap said they share many memories, both on and off the ice, and he looks forward to another year together.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play on the line with him for a full year, and I just like his communications – I always tell him to keep talking to me, but he loves to kick it out,” Dunlap said. “And he loves to move, and it’s easy to find a guy who’s moving, so he’s always open.”
Last season Guzzo had a career-best nine goals, eight assists and 17 points while playing in all 40 games. The two-way center said his favorite Ohio State memory was the quarterfinal run the team had last season.
“Through and through, I thought, ‘We get past Quinnipiac, I think we win the whole thing, to be honest,’” Guzzo said. “We beat Minnesota, we beat Michigan, so I think just the group we had last year, the ups and downs, what we went through, and how we came out of that and did as good as we did. ”
Guzzo entered this season with high hopes for himself and his team. So far this year, Guzzo has appeared in all three games and shot nine times. With a 2-0-1 record, Guzzo and the Buckeyes kick off their weekend series against Michigan Friday in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The puck drops at 6 p.m.
