Second-year forward David Burnside (23) looks to advance the puck down the ice. Ohio State was defeated 4-2 by Michigan Friday at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
A familiar face in Columbus spoiled the Buckeyes’ comeback against a rival foe Friday night.
The Ohio State men’s ice hockey team (9-14-4, 1-14-2 Big Ten) fell short 4-2 as Michigan (13-9-3, 6-7-2-0-1 Big Ten) defeated the Buckeyes at the Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center.
The Wolverines were lifted by ex-Buckeye and sophomore defenseman Tyler Duke who recorded 2 points in the win.
Duke opened up the scoring off a goal late in the first period for Michigan. Duke — a Strongsville, Ohio, native — transferred to the Wolverines after his freshman season with Ohio State. The defenseman played all 40 games of the 2022-23 season, recording 12 points with four goals in Columbus.
Ohio State started the second period with a number of chances to get the puck into the net, but it failed to capitalize on them early.
This included a power play in which the Buckeyes put four high-quality shots on goal, and had a two-on-one breakaway that saw graduate senior goaltender Jake Barczewski moving laterally to make the save.
Michigan responded to Ohio State’s flurry of chances with its own. The Wolverines managed to extend their lead with two goals in 28 seconds to make it a 3-0 game; their goals were scored by freshman forwards Garrett Schifsky and Nick Moldenhauer.
The Buckeyes came back with much-needed goals of their own, as freshman forward Max Montes scored an unassisted goal with only four minutes left of the middle period. He then followed that goal up with another just before the period came to a close.
The two late goals by Montes brought the energy back into the Schottenstein Center after a 3-0 deficit turned into a much more manageable 1-point game. Ohio State fifth-year defenseman Scooter Brickey said he and the team were excited going into the third period with momentum.
“It was an unbelievable crowd, being in that atmosphere it fires you up,” Brickey said. “After getting those two goals and being down one, going into the third is exciting stuff.”
However, the Buckeyes could not capitalize despite having the shot advantage 13-5 in the third and a power-play opportunity with 7:26 remaining in the period.
The missed opportunities cost the Buckeyes as they could not net the equalizer, falling just one goal short. The Wolverines’ Schifsky scored his second of the night on an empty-net goal to put the game out of reach for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s penalty kill was tested Friday night against the best power play in the country. It gave up three penalties that resulted in no goals scored by the Wolverines. This is the first game without a power-play goal scored on Ohio State since its win against Notre Dame on Jan. 12.
Head coach Steve Rohlik said he believes his team is improving and wants them to continue moving forward.
“We have to keep getting better, that is a good hockey team over there and I thought we played well tonight,” Rohlik said. “Tomorrow is another day and that is the attitude we have to have.”
Despite the loss, Rohlik said he liked what he saw on the ice from his team. If they continue to perform how they did in the first period, the victories will soon be in their favor, he said.
“We did what we needed to do in the first period, we played well, just did not get the result we wanted,” Rohlik said. “I like the hockey team that did that, if we can continue to come back like that then we will get the results we want.”
The Buckeyes will look to split the home series against the Wolverines Saturday night at the Schottenstein Center. The puck will drop at 8 p.m., and stream live on Big Ten Network.
