Life in first place was short-lived for the Ohio State men’s hockey team. Just a week after securing the top spot in the Big Ten by taking 3 of 4 possible points in a weekend series with Notre Dame, the Buckeyes couldn’t keep it going in game one against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Things started off good enough for the Buckeyes Friday night. They struck first when Quinn Preston lit the lamp with 8:54 left in the first period. The Gophers struck back at the end of the first though, and things were tied after twenty minutes.
OSU again grabbed the lead in the second when Sam McCormick got one past the Minnesota goaltender for a 2-1 lead with 13:21 left in the period. But that’s when the Gophers started to find their groove.
Minnesota scored two more goals before the period ended, and suddenly Ohio State found itself down a goal after two periods of play. The Gophers then got two more goals, one of the flukey variety that bounced off the glass and was originally called a no-goal, but overturned. Suddenlty, OSU was in a 5-2 hole.
Final in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/PQgyK63uyw
— Ohio State Men's Hockey (@OhioStateMHKY) January 25, 2020
In garbage time a couple goals were scored by both sides until the game ended with a 6-3 Minnesota win. With the loss, Ohio State drops out of first place to Michigan State but gets another shot to get it back tonight in game two against the Gophers. A win, and a Michigan State loss to Penn State would mean the Buckeyes are again in the driver’s seat.
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