COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State men's hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to Quinnipiac in its season opener Thursday in Value City Arena. The Buckeyes led 2-1 after the first and second periods but the Bobcats scored twice in 17 seconds in the first minute of the third period and added a late power play goal for the 4-2 nonconference win.

The Buckeyes (0-1-0) and Bobcats (1-0-0) will finish out the series at 7:05 p.m. Friday in Value City Arena.

Two special teams goals carried the Buckeyes to a 2-1 lead after the first 20 minutes. Quinnipiac opened the scoring on Eric Lampe's breakaway goal at 3:40. He picked off the puck at the QU blueline and skated in alone on Buckeye goalie Dustin Carlson, scoring on a backhand on the Bobcats' first shot of the game. Junior Shane Sims tied the game at 12:21 when his shot from the point got through with the Buckeyes on an extended 5-on-3 advantage after a Bobcat was sent to the box for elbowing while QU was already a man down. Sophomores Matt Bartkowski and Zac Dalpe, both members of the CCHA All-Rookie Team a year ago, assisted on the goal. Junior John Albert scored shorthanded unassisted at 18:54 to put Ohio State ahead. He broke into the zone down the right lane with Sergio Somma to his left after stripping the puck near the Buckeye blueline and his wrist shot beat QU goalie Eric Hartzell on the far side. Ohio State outshot the Bobcats in the period, 12-8. The Buckeyes converted 1-of-3 power-play changes in the period while Quinnipiac was 0-for-2, with a third chance carrying over into the second period.

There was no scoring in the second period as the teams combined for seven penalties. Ohio State again outshot Quinnipiac, 12-8. Quinnipiac was officially 0-for-2 and Ohio State was 0-for-2 with the man advantage with a power play carrying over into the third.

Quinnipiac quickly tied the game and took the lead in the first minute of the third. Lampe scored his second of the game 33 seconds into the stanza, jamming the puck in following a scramble in front. Brandon Wong tallied from the faceoff dot on a quick shot just 17 seconds later with the teams skating 4-on-4. The Bobcats scored the final goal of the game at 13:15 when Scott Zurevinski tallied on a 4-on-3 power play from in close, set up by Jeremy Langlois. Quinnipiac controlled play in the period, outshooting Ohio State, 19-8. The Bobcats were 1-for-2 on the power play, including a 5-minute major power play that was interrupted by both a Bobcat and Buckeye penalty, and Ohio State did not have a power play.

For the game, Quinnipiac outshot Ohio State, 35-32. Carlson made 31 saves in 58:23 between the pipes. Hartzell had 30 stops in 59:36.

Each team ended the game 1-for-7 on the power play.

Postgame Quotes
John Markell, Ohio State head coach
On his team's overall performance
"We didn't want to engage the other team. We did some good things and then we'd come right back with some penalties. We were outplayed in all aspects of the game tonight. They took the 1-on-1s and beat us to pucks. Tonight, they were the veterans."

On his team's mental toughness
"In the second period we were really just saved by the horn. We have got to get mentally tougher as a team. We didn't want to get physical. It's disappointing."

On his team's slow start to the season
"I'm concerned for this team. Every game counts. This one counted and so does the one tomorrow night. We've got to play better."

On his team's game plan
"The first period wasn't bad but then we got off of our game plan in the second period. Our chances were few and far between"

John Albert, Ohio State junior forward
On the third period
"We didn't play as a team. There were so many penalties, and we played as individuals. It wasn't a team effort."

Mathieu Picard, Ohio State senior forward
On what to improve
"I know what I did wrong, everyone knows what he did wrong. We have to compete. This is college hockey, where teams can come in and beat you. Tomorrow night we'll show up ready to play."

Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac head coach
On regrouping for the third period
"I told the guys we need to reload and refocus. We came out with a lot of energy and that's why we got the win."

On Eric Lampe
"He has been great for us, especially with a young team. He had a solid first season for us as a freshman, had a breakout year last season, and just keeps getting better. He was outstanding tonight."

On his young team
"We have four freshmen everywhere, freshmen everywhere really. At some point we had to play them, so it might as well have been tonight. We've got some good players and this was definitely a new experience for them - they responded well."

Eric Lampe, junior center
On the game and his goal in the third period
"It was a good game - we mentally prepared ourselves coming out for the third period and just started to grind away. It was just a grind away effort and goal."

On being a veteran player on a young team
"This was a big barn we played in and they did well under the circumstances. We told everyone to keep things simple, play smart and get pucks deep. We knew if we did that good things would happen."

                         Hockey Game Box Score (Final)
                        Ohio State Men's Hockey 2009-10
         Quinnipiac vs #17 Ohio State (Oct 08, 2009 at Columbus, Ohio)

 Quinnipiac (1-0-0) vs. Ohio State (0-1-0)
 Date: Oct 08, 2009  Location: Columbus, Ohio        Arena: Value City Arena   
 Attendance:1186   Start time:7:05 pm   End time:9:19 pm   Total time:2:14   

 Goals by Period       1  2  3  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Quinnipiac..........  1  0  3 -  4
 Ohio State..........  2  0  0 -  2
 
   1st period - 1, QU, LAMPE, Eric/1 3:40. 2, OSU, Shane Sims/1 (Matt
Bartkowski/1, Zac Dalpe/1) 12:21 (pp). 3, OSU, John Albert/1 18:54
(sh). Penalties - Dustin Carlson, OSU (cth roughing) 6:32; BARRON,
Loren, QU (cross-checking) 11:15; HANSEN, Zach, QU (elbowing) 11:25;
Mathieu Picard, OSU (interference) 14:05; DAVIES, Zach, QU (tripping)
15:22; Cory Schneider, OSU (hooking) 18:54.

   2nd period - Penalties - HARVEY, Clay, QU (cth elbowing) 2:50; Kyle
Reed, OSU (hooking) 4:17; BARRON, Loren, QU (interference) 4:30;
Sergio Somma, OSU (cth high-sticking) 6:13; BOUHAREVICH, Yuri, QU
(high sticking) 14:30; Peter Boyd, OSU (boarding) 16:12; HANSEN, Zach,
QU (hooking) 18:02.

   3rd period - 4, QU, LAMPE, Eric/2 (ZUREVINSKI, Scott/1, HEICHMAN,
Spencer/1) :33. 5, QU, WONG, Brandon/1 (LANGLOIS, Jeremy/1) :50. 6,
QU, ZUREVINSKI, Scott/1 (WONG, Brandon/1, HANSEN, Zach/1) 13:15 (pp).
Penalties - Matt Bartkowski, OSU (roughing atw) :33; ZUREVINSKI,
Scott, QU (roughing atw) :33; Corey Toy, OSU (checking from behind)
11:29; Corey Toy, OSU (game misconduct) 11:29; LANGLOIS, Jeremy, QU
(goaltender interference) 11:36; Matt Bartkowski, OSU (interference)
11:58; LAMPE, Eric, QU (tripping) 11:58; Mathieu Picard, OSU
(boarding) 12:24.

   Shots on goal - QU 8-8-19 35; OSU 12-12-8 32.

   Power plays - QU 1 of 7; OSU 1 of 7.

   Penalties - QU 10 (20 min); OSU 11 (33 min).

   Goalies - QU, HARTZELL, Eric 1-0-0 (59:36 minutes, 32 shots-30
saves) , EMPTY NET (00:24, 0-0); OSU, Dustin Carlson 0-1-0 (58:23,
35-31) , EMPTY NET (01:37, 0-0).

   Penalty shots - None.

 A-1186  T-2:14   
 Three stars: 1. None    2. None    3. None   
 Referee:Dean Sanborn; Barry Pochmara  Linesman:Justin Perrone
 Win-HARTZELL, Eric (1-0-0).  Loss-Dustin Carlson (0-1-0). 
 Ohio State timeout at 18:23 of third period.