Ohio State is going to play the biggest game of the season tomorrow. It's not particularly close. And it's one of the most intriguing matchups we will see all year. Both teams come into the game undefeated. Both teams are undisputed leaders for their conference at this point in the season. And neither team will likely exit this game in a tailspin like Syracuse did after beating Maryland.
Ohio State matches up pretty well this season. At least when healthy. If the team's offense still has a slew of injuries, then things could get dicey. Fast. Either way, this is a juicy matchup.
Offense
Notre Dame has the best offense in the country, statistically. Averaging 17.75 goals per game, the Irish are good. There's no denying that. They're also healthy, which no unit on Ohio State can say.
The Fighting Irish boast an insane SOG percentage of .674, a shooting percentage of .394, and shoot the ball 44.50 times per game. That's smoking. Just a death machine. With a caveat.
Notre Dame scored 29 goals against Bellarmine. They scored 11 in their most recent game against Maryland. The Terps held Notre Dame to season lows in nearly every category.
Brock Behrman (#21) leads the team in points with 16, while Air Force officer Josh Yago (#12) leads the team in goals with 10. The Irish run about 8 deep in players with at least 6 points through 4 games. It's pretty crazy.
The Buckeye defense will be in trouble. Caleb Fyock MUST have a great game to get the Buckeyes in striking distance.
Defense
Notre Dame, unsurprisingly, is one of the best teams in the country on defense. They're allowing under 10 goals per game this season through 4 games. The Irish cause almost 12 turnovers per game, which is LUDICROUS. And they have probably the best defenseman in the country Shawn Lyght (#90). Just an embarrassment of riches.
Notre Dame's only defensive weakness is in goal. They're so good with the 6 outfield players that the goalkeepers get away with having a save percentage well under .500. Thomas Ricciardelli (#1), has a save percentage of .475. That's obviously not good. But Ohio State has made multiple goalies look amazing. So we will see what shakes out.
Faceoffs
Hilariously, these might be the two worst faceoff teams in the top 10. Notre Dame has a faceoff percentage over .500, winning 53.7% of the time. The Irish just got butchered by Maryland, however, going just 9-28.
Freshman Aidan Diaz-Matos (#9) has taken the most draws, but just barely over his teammate Tyler Spano (#25). Ohio State needs to get close to 60% tomorrow to win. No pressure, Matt Mayfield.
Special Teams
This Notre Dame team is probably the only team in the same stratosphere as Ohio State in EMO situations. The Irish score a staggering 55% of the time, while allowing zero Man Down goals all year. That's indescribable levels of good. Ohio State is at 66% on Man Up, 16.7% on Man Down. Talk about tight.
Overall
This is a heavyweight fight. The Buckeyes are more injured than Notre Dame, aren't at the same level of coaching, and had a big scare after playing their worst game on the season. On the other hand, this is a Buckeye home game, they have the revenge factor from last year, and the Buckeyes (generally) play much better at home than they do on the road. Until the tournament.
Notre Dame, it feels like, wins the their O vs Ohio State's D matchup. Ohio State's offense is facing a (thus far) mediocre goalie fronted by the best 6-man unit in the nation.
Special teams and Faceoffs are a total wash. It's going to come down to the half field. If Ohio State can get even on shots, the Buckeyes win close. I think they can, because Notre Dame is really aggressive in coverage and will play the ball behind the net. They're generally allergic to zone, too. Ricciardelli really struggled with deep shots through screens against Maryland.
I am going to go for it. Ohio State wins a squeaker. In 2OT.
Final Prediction: Ohio State 12, Notre Dame 11 (2OT)
Marinier from Haas at X.
Go Buckeyes!
Game is at 2 p.m. EST, on BTN+. Not even BTN. (Bleep) You, Big Ten. This is garbage.
