The Buckeyes didn’t begin tonight’s game well, but they recovered and earned a tie against Canisius.
| goals by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | ot | final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | -- | 2 | 1 | -- | 3 |
| Canisius | 2 | -- | 1 | -- | 3 |
Christian Frey had an unusually bad start in net. He gave up two goals on the Griffins’ first two shots. Head coach Steve Rohlik called timeout, refocused his team, and sent Matt Tomkins in in relief of Frey.
Tomkins would be key to Ohio State’s comeback. He logged a shade over 63 minutes while turning aside 26 of the 27 shots he faced. Tomkins stopped the bleeding and gave the Buckeyes a chance to get back in the game.
Another key to the comeback was the OSU power play. I haven’t lost my mind. I realize it went 0-6. No goals were officially scored on the man advantage, but the Bucks were able to generate energy, movement, and sustained pressure. The increased momentum these opportunities brought the team resulted in a pair of goals.
The first Buckeye goal came from the stick of Matt Johnson. The goal was reviewed by the officiating crew but was deemed good. It was the high point in what seems to have been a good outing for Johnson. In addition to scoring he led the team in shots (5), was a factor on the penalty kill, and lured Canisius into taking a penalty.
Freshman Luke Stork tied the game later in the period. Both Johnson and Stork’s goals occurred seconds after the expiration of a power play. Ohio State and Canisius battled back and forth through much of the third period, neither team giving way.
The Griffins finally solved Tomkins with a little over six minutes left on the clock. Tanner Fritz appeared to tie the game back up on the next shift, but this time the officials’ review wasn’t so kind to the Bucks.
Fritz was not to be denied, though. Moments after his goal was waved off, he set up Dave Gust’s game-tying tally. Neither the Bucks nor the Griffs were able to claim victory in the overtime session. Tomkins and Canisius goalie Keegan Amundson stood tall and kept the nets clear.
Given the way the game started, it ended pretty well for Ohio State. The Buckeyes showed composure and perseverance in coming back against a veteran Canisius squad. The teams will conclude their series tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.
Lady Bucks Downed by Huskies
The Ohio State women found themselves on the wrong end of a comeback at the Ice Rink tonight. They jumped out to 2-0 lead thanks to goals by Julia McKinnon and Melani Moylan.
| goals by period | 1 | 2 | 3 | final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud State | -- | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Ohio State | 2 | -- | -- | 2 |
Unfortunately it all fell apart in the middle frame. The Buckeyes outshot the Huskies 19-6 in the second period and spent an extended amount of time on the power play. The ladies were unable to capitalize on those opportunities.
St. Cloud, on the other hand, made the most of its very limited chances. The Huskies scored three times in the second period. They would eventually add an empty net goal and take the win 4-2.
Ohio State will look to regroup tomorrow as the teams finish out the series at the Ice Rink at 1pm.
