Then-freshman forward Davis Burnside skates with the puck during the Face-off on the Lake against Michigan in Cleveland on Feb. 18, 2023. Credit: Katie Good | Lantern File Photo
Amid a seven-game losing streak, the Ohio State men’s ice hockey team is set to face one of the best teams in the country.
The Buckeyes (9-15-4, 1-15-2 Big Ten) are looking to build momentum going into postseason play as the last stretch of their regular season starts when the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers (22-6-2, 13-4-1 Big Ten) visit Columbus Friday and Saturday.
Head coach Steve Rohlik said he believes his team must get to the next level and rise to the occasion these last few weeks.
“It’s an exciting time of year, it’s the playoff time,” Rohlik said. “Let’s go out and be the best version of us, we have to figure out a way to open that door.”
Wisconsin has made a name for itself this season by way of its defense. The Badgers rank first in the NCAA in scoring defense, only allowing 1.87 goals per game.
Their top defense is led by senior goaltender Kyle McClellan, who is third in collegiate hockey in goals against average and leads the nation in shutouts.
McClellan’s stellar season has put the goalie as one of the favorites for the Mike Richter Award, presented to the nation’s best goaltender.
The Buckeyes’ trip to Madison, Wisconsin, in December resulted in two regulation losses. Ohio State only managed to score one goal and conceded nine during the weekend series.
“I thought we played very well on Friday night, we had our opportunity,” Rohlik said. “Saturday they came out and punched us in the face early and we got on our heels.”
Rohlik said he wants the Buckeyes to attack early and use the crowd to help aid his team to victory over the Badgers.
“You go out there, and you give your best. We have that opportunity here at home with our fans,” Rohlik said. “If we can get that first goal and play with the lead, I believe that is really important.”
Ohio State opens its most difficult back-to-back series as it goes against the top two teams in the Big Ten in as many weeks, recently facing Michigan on Feb. 2 and 3. However, Rohlik said that he wants to live in the present and focus on the tough matchup ahead.
“We got to be ready Friday night, that is everything we have talked about, being ready for Wisconsin,” Rohlik said. “We are not even thinking about Saturday or beyond it.”
After the Buckeyes’ off week, freshman forward Max Montes said the locker room is focused on getting ready for Wisconsin as they know it will take all aspects of their game to beat the fourth-ranked team in the nation.
“It is really important that we stay dialed in,” Montes said. “The main focus this week is getting ready, being hard on our defensemen and making sure we are dialed in all areas of our game.
Sophomore forward Stephen Halliday said the Buckeyes have gotten better each series and now is the time to start winning games.
“We are trying to win every single game we play in, I think we have gotten better in each series we have played in,” Halliday said. “We are building off each weekend into the postseason.”
The puck is set to drop Friday at 6:30 p.m., in the Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
The second game of the weekend will begin Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Big Ten Network.
