March 2, 2013

Box Score
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - In its final regular-season game in the CCHA, the Ohio State men's hockey team lost to No. 3-ranked and league champion Miami, 4-2, Saturday in Steve Cady Arena in Oxford, Ohio. The Buckeyes (14-15-7, 13-10-5-1 CCHA) wrap up league play in fourth place and will host Ferris State in the quarterfinal round of the CCHA playoffs March 15-17 in a best of three series in the OSU Ice Rink after a first-round bye.

Tanner Fritz, Buckeye sophomore forward, won the CCHA scoring title, finishing the 28-game schedule with a league-best 32 points. He is the third Buckeye to win the crown, following Hugo Boisvert in 1998 and Paul Pooley in 1984. Fritz also led all CCHA players with 23 assists in conference action, the fourth Buckeye to pace the league in helpers (Peter Boyd'10, Boisvert '98, Paul Pooley '84).

Miami opened the scoring at 10:40 of the first period, converting 10 seconds into the game's first power play when Curtis McKenzie was able to knock the puck home out of a scrum. Buckeye goalie Brady Hjellehad 11 saves in the period, as Ohio State was outshot, 12-8. The RedHawks had two power play chances, with Ohio State 0-for-1.

Each team put nine shots on net in the second period and the RedHawks netted the only goal at 13:11 when Riley Barber scored. The Buckeyes had the only chance with the man advantage in the stanza.

Blake Coleman gave the RedHawks a 3-0 advantage at 7:14 of the third, scoring unassisted at a sharp angle with Hjelle out of position. Cody Murphy extended the Miami lead to 4-0 on a tally at 15:50. Ohio State scored twice in the final 2:13. Freshman defenseman Craig Dalrymple scored on a 4-on-3 power play, assisted by sophomores Ryan Dzingel and Max McCormick, at 17:47 and Dalrymple then set up junior Alex Szczechura for a goal on a 2-on-1 with 18 seconds left, with sophomore Clark Cristofolipicking up the second assist on the tally. Ohio State outshot Miami, 13-10, in the period. Ohio State was scoreless on four power play chances in the stanza, including a two minute 5-on-3 after the RedHawks took a minor while killing a major power play.

For the game, the Buckeyes were outshot, 31-30. Hjelle made 27 saves in 59:59 in the Buckeye net and Miami's Ryan McKay made 28 stops in all 60 minutes.

The Buckeyes were 1-for-6 on the power play in the game and Miami converted 1-of-3 chances.

Postgame Notes
• The quarterfinal round games will be at 7 p.m. March 15 and 16 (and 17th if necessary) in the OSU Ice Rink. Ticket information will be released early next week.
• Fritz had his four-game point scoring streak ended but has a point in 11 of his last 14 games. He has 34 points on the year to lead the Buckeyes, including 24 assists.
• Szczechura is fourth on the team with 22 points and tied for second with 12 goals.
• Dzingel leads the Buckeyes with 14 goals and is second with 33 points. He finished CCHA play third in scoring with 28 points in league games only, tying for second with 18 assists.
• Dalrymple leads Ohio State's defensemen and freshmen with 14 points, including 11 assists. He is on a four-game assist and point streak. The game was his first career two-point outing with a goal and an assist.
• The fourth-place finish for the Buckeyes is the highest since the 2004-05 squad finished second.
• Hjelle won the Perani Cup for the most three star of the game honors in league play. He finished second in CCHA action with a 1.89 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. He is eighth in the NCAA overall with a .934 save percentage and 13th with a 2.00 goals-against average.
• Cristofoli has an assist in three of his last four games and a career-high three assists this year.
• Max McCormick had a five-game point streak ended, (4g, 5a, 9p), just the third time he was held scoreless in the last 15 outings. He ranks third on the squad with 26 points and is second with 12 goals.
• Ohio State was held to less than three goals for the first time in five games.