Then-freshman defenseman Davis Burnside awaits the puck in a defensive stance during Ohio State’s matchup against Michigan on Feb. 18, 2023, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. Credit: Lantern File Photo
Penn State is coming to town to help close out Ohio State’s regular season.
The Ohio State men’s ice hockey team (12-16-4, 4-16-2 Big Ten) will hold its senior night as it will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-16-3, 5-14-3 Big Ten) both Friday and Saturday in Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center.
Senior night will honor a class that consists of three of the four captains for Ohio State. Together, the decorated class of eight have combined for 907 collegiate hockey games, with 104 goals and 165 assists, totaling 269 points.
The class has two fifth-years, three fourth-years, and one second-year Buckeye along with a pair of graduate transfers who chose Ohio State for their final collegiate year.
Forwards Michael Gildon and Dalton Messina are the two players who have been at Ohio State the longest. Both Gildon and Messina have combined for 17 goals in their careers and 53 total points.
Gildon said he is looking forward to the night and expects his team to get the win against Penn State.
“It’s a celebration of the seniors and all they have accomplished,” Gildon said. “Kudos to all the seniors and [head coach Steve Rohlik] for giving us the opportunity to play here. It will be a good night and I know we will come out with a ‘W.’”
Gildon said he has two memories that will stick with him during his career at Ohio State.
“I think my first goal was a big one, and then last year when we went to the national tournament — I think those are the two memories that will stay with me for a long time,” Gildon said. “I love all the guys I have played with and hung out with for the past five years.”
The three four-year Buckeyes are forwards Joe Dunlap, Patrick Guzzo and Matt Cassidy. Guzzo and Cassidy were awarded the honor of being captains at Ohio State this season.
Cassidy said he has enjoyed his time in Columbus, and a win against then-No.4 ranked Michigan last season in Cleveland in front of 45,523 fans inside FirstEnergy Stadium — now the Cleveland Browns Stadium — was the highlight of his Buckeye career.
“It is a blessing every day to come here,” Cassidy said. “I love being a part of this university and this team. The outdoor game last year was a highlight and senior night last year against Michigan.”
Captain and defenseman Scooter Brickey is the two-year Buckeye, transferring from Western Michigan in the summer of 2022. Brickey has been a key member of many of the Buckeyes’ wins this season and earned a nomination for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award.
One of two graduate transfers, Riley Hughes joined the Buckeyes after a four-year stint at Northeastern where he also served as an alternate captain. Defenseman Mason Klee is the second Ohio State graduate and transferred from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Ohio State dropped both games to the Nittany Lions in State College, Pennsylvania, by a score of 4-3. Penn State was led by freshman forward Aiden Fink, who scored three goals and registered one assist in the two-game series.
In 32 games, Fink has 33 total points but has only recorded one assist in six games since his series against the Buckeyes. Rohlik said his team needs to be better than when the two played in Pennsylvania earlier this season.
“We got to play better,” Rohlik said. “We know what kind of team is stepping in here, they are well coached, they play aggressive and they get a lot of pucks on the net.”
The series will start Friday at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on Big Ten Network. The regular season for the Buckeyes will come to an end Saturday at 5 p.m., streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
