The Ohio State Buckeyes scored a pair of third period goals within a 60-second span to pull away with a 4-1 victory over the Niagara hockey team at the Value City Arena on Friday evening.
At 18:17 of the third and the Buckeyes up 2-0, Niagara was slice the OSU lead in half as captain Ryan Rashid‘s rising, turnaround shot beat Ohio State goaltender Matt Tomkins to make it a 2-1 contest. The Buckeyes quickly crushed any momentum the Purple and White had 10 seconds later as Max McCormick scored on a 2-on-1 opportunity, and then followed that with an empty net tally to put the game out of reach for NU.
Niagara (1-5-1) was unsuccessful on the man-advantage, going 0-for-5 in the overall, while Ohio State (5-4-0) went 1-for-5.
“Unfortunately a really good effort in all areas of our game goes for not, but the game was up for grabs in the third period and their top line made a really good play on the power play goal that’s the difference in the game,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “Overall I thought it was a pretty even game. We had a lot of great chances, but nothing in regards to second chance opportunities so we will have to improve on that tomorrow to have a chance.”
Neither team able to establish much flow in the first 20 minutes of the contest as the period ended with zeros on the scoreboard, and the Purple Eagles holding a 10-6 advantage in shots. Ohio State registered the game’s first few chances, but as the period wore on, NU was able to break up the Buckeyes’ attack; not allowing its B1G opponent to sustain any pressure.
The Bucks came inches away from obtaining the lead with a little over one minute remaining in the frame, but OSU could not capitalize on a pair of great chances in close. The initial shot by McCormick was stymied by NU goaltender Jackson Teichroeb, but the follow up sharp-angled shot from Alex Szczechura clanged off the iron.
The squads traded opportunities in the second frame, but the goaltenders remained steadfast between the pipes.
The Purple and White had the period’s first golden opportunity about five minutes in. Rashid forced a turnover in the OSU defensive zone, and slipped a feed to Chris Lochner who was waiting to the right of Matt Tomkins. Lochner skated in on net and tried to push the puck under the pads of the goaltender, but without success. Teichroeb had to come up big shortly after with a superb toe save off a Tyler Lyndey attempt.
During Niagara’s third penalty kill of the game with 7:20 remaining in the second, Teichroeb made several solid stops, but it was Niagara with the best opportunity while a man down as Hugo Turcotte raced in on Tomkins on a 2-on-1 with Lochner. The sophomore opted for the shot just inside the faceoff circle, but it was waffled aside by the OSU netminder.
Tanner Fritz broke the scoreless game late in the second period, scoring his first goal of the season at 18:02. The junior received a cross ice pass from Max McCormick and his slapshot from far out beat Teichroeb stick side.
Teichroeb held Niagara in the game throughout the final frame, making a number of key stops, however the Purple Eagles were unable to capitalize on their opportunities and fell into some penalty trouble which cost them Ohio State’s second tally of the contest.
With 7:44 remaining in regulation, Szczechura slipped a feed to an open Ryan Dzingel who settled the puck onto his forehand before walking in from the faceoff circle and slipping it underneath the outstretched glove of Teichroeb for a power play goal.
Teichroeb wrapped up the evening with 25 saves, while his counterpart made 30 stops.
