Ohio State then-junior forward Tate Singleton (13) moves the puck around the back of the net during the Ohio State-Minnesota game Feb. 11, 2022. Ohio State lost 3-2. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
The No. 7 Ohio State men’s hockey team earned a split against Wisconsin this weekend, closing its four-game road trip on a winning note.
The Badgers (10-14-0, 3-11-0 Big Ten) dominated game one 4-0 Friday, while the Buckeyes (16-9-1, 9-7-0 Big Ten) rebounded to win the finale 2-0.
Friday
Ohio State was overpowered by Wisconsin in the series opener, losing 4-0 and surrendering three goals in the third period.
Wisconsin junior defenseman Luke LaMaster cracked the scoreboard at the 15:35 mark in the second period with his first collegiate goal to make it 1-0.
Graduate forward Jack Gorniak would extend the Badgers lead with a goal in the third period at the 12-minute mark, and senior defenseman Shay Donovan made one of the assists on the play, his first collegiate point.
From there, the game spiraled out of control for the Buckeyes after a five-minute major penalty by senior forward Tate Singleton for charging. The Badgers proceeded to score two power play goals, one by freshman forward Cruz Lucius and the other by freshman defenseman Tyson Jugnauth, his second of the season.
It was a clean game for both sides through the first two periods, with only two combined penalties coming in that stretch, one by each team. In the third, the action picked up with the five remaining penalties coming in that period, three by the Buckeyes and two by the Badgers.
Wisconsin smothered Ohio State on offense, limiting the Buckeyes to only five shots in the first period on their way to a 34-22 advantage in total shots.
Sophomore goalie Jakub Dobeš out-saved Wisconsin counterpart senior Jared Moe 30-22 but was charged the loss with the four surrendered goals.
The shutout was the third of the season for Ohio State, with the previous two coming against Notre Dame and UConn.
Saturday
Ohio State rebounded to win a defensive battle 2-0 behind goals from Singleton and freshman forward Davis Burnside.
Wisconsin had a chance to get on the board first in the opening period after two-consecutive Buckeye penalties gave the Badgers a two-minute, five-on-three power play at 12:00. Ohio State, however, was able to hold.
Like Friday night, the two teams went into the first intermission scoreless. The shots were knotted up at nine apiece.
In the second period, the Buckeyes thought they scored their first weekend goal at the 17:26 mark courtesy of junior forward Joe Dunlap. However, a challenge from Badgers head coach Tony Granato deemed Dunlap interfered with Moe, and the goal was taken off the board.
Singleton didn’t let the drought last much longer, as he put the puck in the goal shortly after at the 13:36 mark, his sixth on the year.
Burnside added an empty-net goal with 31 seconds left in the third period to secure the victory.
Ohio State’s top-ranked penalty kill unit in the Big Ten showed up once again, shutting down all six of Wisconsin’s power play opportunities.
The shot total remained even at the end of the game, with each team getting 27 shots on goal.
Dobeš out-saved Moe again, this time 29-25 in a winning effort.
The shutout pitched by the Buckeyes marked the end of a seven-game point streak for Wisconsin’s Lucius.
The Buckeyes are idle next weekend. They resume playing Penn State in Columbus on Feb. 3-4.
