The Ohio State men’s hockey team sing the alma mater, “Carmen Ohio,” after they defeated Wisconsin 3-2 March 8 to move on to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal against Penn State. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
Before the start of the season, Ohio State was predicted to finish last in the Big Ten.
Now, the Buckeyes have a chance to be conference champions.
For the first time in seven years, Ohio State has earned the opportunity to capture a Big Ten Tournament title.
The No. 9 Buckeyes will travel to East Lansing, Michigan, to take on the No. 1 Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Championship in hopes of winning their first-ever conference title. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and the game can be viewed on Big Ten Network.
This matchup will mark the Buckeyes’ third appearance in the Big Ten Tournament final. They previously fell to Wisconsin in 2014 and Notre Dame in 2018.
The Spartans, on the other hand, are looking to defend their Big Ten Title following their 5-4 overtime win against Michigan in last year’s championship.
Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik said now that there are no more series to be played, his team must focus all its energy on this single, winner-takes-all game.
“This is playoff hockey,” Rohlik said. “We don’t have to beat them twice. We just got to beat them once.”
Buckeyes defenseman Damien Carfagna said the team used early-season doubters as motivation to excel this season.
“Once those preseason rankings came out, it was always just proving everyone wrong,” Carfagna said.
After enjoying successful seasons, both the Buckeyes and the Spartans earned trips to the Big Ten final after overcoming tough quarterfinal challenges.
Ohio State enters the championship on the heels of an exhilarating 4-3 overtime win over Penn State Saturday. Forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine delivered a standout performance, scoring both the contest’s opening goal and game-winning goal in overtime.
Rohlik said he has confidence in Fontaine to control the game in its biggest moments.
“I couldn’t think of a better player to have [the puck] at that point,” Rohlik said.
On the other hand, Michigan State secured a first-round bye and clinched its spot in the final after defeating Notre Dame 2-1, thanks to a late-game winner by Big Ten Player of the Year and forward Isaac Howard.
Despite the fact Michigan State is the conference’s No. 1 overall seed, the Buckeyes and the Spartans have proven to be evenly matched this year.
In their four regular-season encounters, both teams won twice, with two games going into overtime and Ohio State and Michigan State splitting those tight contests.
Carfagna said his team believes it can take down any opponent.
“We have that confidence,” Carfagna said. “That swagger in our group, that belief that if we play our game, we can go toe to toe with anyone in the country.”
Fontaine leads the Buckeyes with 39 points, tallying three goals and two assists in his last three games. He’s followed by Davis Burnside, who has recorded 33 total points this season.
For the Spartans, Howard has amassed 47 points on the season, including his game-winning goal against the Fighting Irish Saturday.
Ohio State goaltender Logan Terness leads Big Ten goalies with a 0.934 save percentage in conference games alone. In all matchups, he ranks second among league goaltenders with a 0.925 save percentage, just behind Trey Augustine of Michigan State with a 92.7% mark.
A win could serve as a monumental milestone for the Buckeyes, and Rohlik said he and his team are ready for the challenge.
“To be involved in something like that — that’s why you come here, and that’s why you play in the best league,” Rohlik said.
