Buckeyes sweep in Columbus with Saturday win
Columbus Ohio. – No. 12 Ohio State jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and expanded it over the next 40 minutes to score a 6-0 victory over No. 14/13 Michigan State on Saturday in Columbus to complete a weekend sweep. MSU and Ohio State each swept the weekend series on their home ice, leveling the season series at 2-2.
The Buckeyes were sharp and generated offense off turnovers, leading to several odd-man rushes that ended up behind goaltenders. Dylan St. Cyr and Pierce Charleson, who each saw time in the Saturday game and gave up three goals each. St. Cyr had 13 saves in the first period, and Charleson made 19 over the second and third frames in relief.
Sophomore Jakub Dobes made 32 saves for the shutout win, and surrendered just one goal over the two games for Ohio State. Joe Dunlap had a pair of goals for the Buckeyes (14-7-1, 7-6-0 B1G), while Stephen Halliday had three assists.
MSU was whistled for eight penalties in the game and surrendered one power play goal, and also surrendered a shorthanded marker in its two power play opportunities. Ohio State boasts the top penalty kill in the nation and has scored as many shorthanded tallies (8) as it has power play goals allowed (8).
Michigan State returns to Munn next weekend for the first home series of 2023 when it hosts Penn State at 7 pm both Friday and Saturday.
STATISTICS OF NOTE
- MSU was shut out for the third time this season and tied its season high for goals allowed (Dec. 3 v. Minnesota).
- The Spartans and Buckeyes split the four-game season series, each winning both games on their home ice.
- After a 37-goal November in which MSU went 7-1, the Spartans have scored 11 goals in the eight games of December and January (1-7).
- The Spartan penalty kill extinguished six of seven chances against, including four in the second period.
- Pierce Charleson made his first appearance in net since the LIU game on Oct 22. He made 19 saves in a relief role (40 minutes). Dylan St. Cyr stopped 13 shots in the first period.
- With its shorthanded goal to start the second period, Ohio State now has as many shorthanded goals this season (8) as power play goals allowed (8).
- Jagger Joshua was whistled for cross-checking in the third period – it was the first penalty for the Spartan winger since the Penn State game on Nov. 19. MSU’s PIM’s leader skated eight-plus games without a penalty.
PERIOD SUMMARIES
First Period: As it did on Friday, Ohio State took an early lead and made things difficult for the Spartan offense to settle into any rhythm. The power play goal came at 7:41, when Michael Gildon put back a loose puck at the right post. The Buckeyes scored twice in the final five minutes of the frame: a feed by Davis Burnside from behind the net found Tate Singleton alone and unchecked at the left hash made it 2-0. With the seconds ticking down, Cole McWard entered the zone and went across the high slot for Joe Dunlop, who went high glove side on St. Cyr headed into the intermission to give the home team even more breathing room. MSU was limited to just eight shots in the period – the Spartans struggled to sustain pressure in their offensive zone, and their good looks were stoned by Dobes to keep them off the board.
Second Period: Pierce Charleson entered the game for MSU at the start of the second period, with MSU skating on the power play thanks to a cross-checking call against Dobes as the first period ended. At 1:22, Cam Thiesing sprung on a breakaway, and he converted Ohio State’s eighth shorthanded tally of the season (and his 10th). Another odd-man rush (this time a 2-on-1) led to a fifth goal at 9:28, with Dunlap scoring his second of the night as he finished off a pass from Matt Cassidy. MSU looked a bit more composed on offense and actually outshot their hosts (12-8) despite being on the penalty kill for eight minutes in the frame.
Third Period: With just under seven minutes remaining, Ohio State got a turnover late in its defensive zone and turned it into a four-on-two; Davis Burnside finished it for his 10th goal of the season. MSU had 12 shots for the second straight period, but Dobes was once again up to the task and turned each of them away.