Graduate defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata (20) takes control of the puck during the Buckeyes game against Michigan State. The Spartans walked away with a 4-1 win. Credit: TakeYourShotPhotography via Ohio State Athletics
Prior to the weekend, the Buckeyes managed to remain unbeaten this season. Now, they’re returning to Columbus with two losses on their resume.
No. 13 Ohio State (7-2-1, 2-2-0 Big Ten) dropped a pair of contests to No. 3 Michigan State (7-1-0, 2-0-0 Big Ten) this weekend – losing 4-2 Friday and 4-1 Saturday at the Munn Ice Arena.
Game 1
Michigan State set the tone early, as defenseman Nicklas Andrews and forward Red Savage both logged goals in the opening period – putting the Spartans ahead 2-0.
The scoring barrage continued into the second period for the Spartans, as forward Daniel Russell netted his fifth goal of the season just 31 seconds into the period.
The Buckeyes got on the board a little over 15 minutes later, as forward Davis Burnside slapped the puck into the net with 4:15 remaining in the second period, cutting the Spartans’ lead to 3-1.
Ohio State came back to within one in the third frame, as forward Patrick Guzzo scored halfway through the period.
This would be as close as it got for the Buckeyes as Michigan State added to its lead with an empty net goal from defenseman David Gucciardi in the final two minutes of the contest to finalize the score at 4-2.
Game 2
In Saturday night’s contest, both teams were held out of the net in the opening period.
Just three minutes into the second, Ohio State took its first, and only lead of the series when defenseman Damien Carfanga scored his first goal of the season on a power play to put the Buckeyes ahead 1-0.
Michigan State answered back as forward Gavin O’Connell scored to tie the match at 1-1 with 5:51 to go in the second frame.
A little over a minute later, forward Shane Vansaghi scored his first collegiate goal to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
Michigan State also received an insurance goal from forward Isaac Howard at the 12:20 mark of the final frame.
In the final four minutes, Russell notched his second goal of the weekend, and team-leading sixth of the season through an empty Buckeyes net for the final blow – cementing the final at 4-1.
The Buckeyes will be back on the road this weekend when they travel to St. Charles, Missouri for a two-game weekend series with Lindenwood University (2-7-1).
