Jan. 19, 2013

Box Score

NMU 3, OSU 2 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team suffered a 3-2 loss on the road at Northern Michigan Saturday in Berry Events Center in Marquette, Mich. The victory gives the Wildcats (11-10-4, 5-9-4-1 CCHA) a two-game sweep of the Buckeyes (8-11-5, 7-6-3-1 CCHA) after a 4-2 NMU win in the series opener.

Ohio State, which was on the road for its first six games of the second half of the year, will now host Lake Superior State and Notre Dame the next two weekends. The Lakers come to Value City Arena Jan. 25-26, with the Irish games Feb. 1-2. Puck drops each night at 7:05 p.m.

Saturday night in Marquette, the Wildcats scored early in the first period and the 1-0 lead held until Buckeye sophomore Max McCormick scored on the power play in the final two minutes of the second period. Northern Michigan scored twice in the first five minutes of the third period, with goals at 2:26 and 4:45, for a 3-1 advantage. Ohio State drew within one on junior Curtis Gedig’s power play goal at 13:48 but Ohio State could get no closer. The Buckeyes outshot the Wildcats, 32-21, in the contest. Sophomore Ryan Dzingel had two assists to lead Ohio State with two points.

Northern Michigan scored just 3:34 into the game, as Reed Seckel tallied, converting as the Wildcats crashed the net. Ohio State had a goal disallowed later in the period because the referee had blown the whistle after losing sight of the puck. Each team had seven shots in the period. Ohio State was 0-for-2 on the power play and stopped the Wildcats on one chance.

The Buckeyes tied the game with 1:42 left in the second period, as McCormick tallied on the power play, assisted by Dzingel and freshman Sam Jardine. Ohio State doubled-up the Wildcats in shots in the period, 12-6. Ohio State converted its lone power play chance in the period and stopped Northern Michigan on one full chance, along with an opportunity that carried into the third.

The Wildcats scored twice in the first five minutes of the third period for a 3-1 lead. Ryan Aynsley broke the tie at 2:26, followed by CJ Ludwig’s goal following an Ohio State turnover at 4:45. At 13:48 Gedig netted his first goal of the year, taking a pass from Dzingel and scoring from the left faceoff circle with Ohio State on the power play. Sophomore Tanner Fritz had the second assist on the tally. Ohio State was unable to get the equalizer, skating with the net empty to close out regulation. Shots were 13-8 in favor of the Buckeyes in the period. The Buckeyes were 1-for-2 on the power play in the stanza, holding Northern Michigan scoreless on one chance.

Ohio State outshot Northern Michigan, 32-21, in the game. Buckeye senior Brady Hjelle had 18 saves in 59:15 and Northern Michigan netminder Jared Coreau made 30 stops in all 60 minutes.

Ohio State was 2-for-5 on the power play in the game and held the Wildcats scoreless on four chances with the man advantage.

Postgame Notes
• Ohio State’s power play goals were the team’s first since Dec. 7 vs. Robert Morris. It was the team’s first game with multiple power-play tallies since Nov. 17 vs. Northern Michigan.
• Ohio State was held without team points in a CCHA weekend series for the first time this season.
• Dzingel had his third two-assist game of the year. He is first on the squad with 20 points, ranking first with nine goals and second with 11 assists.
• Fritz is on a four-game point streak, with 1-3-4 totals in the stretch. He is second on the team with 17 points, with a team-high 13 assists.
• Jardine has a point in three of his four games since returning from injury.
• Gedig’s goal was his first of the year and third of his career. His last tally was Dec. 30, 2011 vs. Robert Morris.
• Ohio State has not allowed a power play goal in its last four games (11-for-11) and have held their opponents scoreless in nine of the last 13 games (34-for-38, .895). On the year the team is 77-for-90 (.856).
• Hjelle is fifth in the NCAA and first in the CCHA with a 1.61 goals-against average, while his .945 save percentage is second nationally and leads the league.
• McCormick is second on the team with eight goals and third with 13 points. He has a point in three of the last four games.