Buckeyes Shut Out Canisius, 3-0, in Series Opener

Davis makes 20 saves, Dzingel and Schilkey pick up two points each

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team won its fourth game in a row, and seventh in its last eight outings, shutting out Canisius, 3-0, Friday in Value City Arena. Freshman goalie and Upper Arlington, Ohio, native Logan Davis, making his first career start, had 20 saves in the victory, while junior Ryan Dzingel and freshman Nick Schilkey each had a goal and an assist in the win. The Buckeyes (7-4-0, 0-0-0 B1G) and Golden Griffins (2-6-0, 1-3-0 AHA) will close the series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in VCA.

 

“Anytime you can build momentum like this it is big,” Steve Rohlik, in his first season as the Buckeyes’ head coach, said. “We talk about going one game at a time and that is what we’re doing. Our focus is on tomorrow night. Then we have an off week to regroup and prepare for conference play.”

 

Against Canisius, Ohio State led 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Dzingel, which stood as the gamewinner. He has picked up the game-winning goal in each of the Buckeyes’ last three games and has a team-high six goals and 13 points this year. The Buckeye added goals in the second from defenseman Justin DaSilva and Schilkey to extend the lead to 3-0 after 40 minutes and neither team scored in the third. Davis stopped seven shots in the first and third periods and six in the second, backstopping Ohio State to its first shutout of the season.

 

“It’s pretty surreal,” Davis said. “I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. It’s a great feeling.”

 

Ohio State led 1-0 after the first period. Freshman defenseman Josh Healey started the play up the ice to classmate Schilkey, who carried into the Canisius zone and found Dzingel at the far post and he backhanded a shot off the pass at 14:27. Ohio State outshot Canisius, 14-7, in the period and each team had two power play chances.

 

The Buckeyes scored twice in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. At the 1:41 mark, DaSilva’s shot from the point got through for his third goal of the year, assisted by sophomore Anthony Greco and junior Darik Angeli. Schilkey scored a goal of his own at 14:50, gathering a loose puck and scoring from the slot. Junior defenseman Al McLean and Dzingel assisted on the score, with McLean picking up his first point of the season. Dzingel has a point in all but two games this year and is on a four-game point streak (5g, 1a, 6p). The two points for Schilkey marked a career high. Ohio State again doubled Canisius in shots, putting 12 shots on net while allowing six.

 

Neither team scored in the third, as Ohio State outshot Canisius, 8-7, in the stanza and allowed one shot on the Golden Griffins’ lone power play chance. The Buckeyes had two opportunities with the extra skater in the period.

 

Ohio State outshot Canisius, 34-20, in the game. Davis played 59:56 and had 20 saves for his second win in a row. Keegan Asmundson had 31 stops for Canisius in 59:53. The Buckeyes blocked 21 shots as a team, led by McLean and sophomore defenseman Craig Dalrymple with four each.

 

The Buckeyes held Canisius scoreless on three power play chances and have now stopped the last 21 opponent chances. Ohio State was 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

 

The last time Ohio State won four games in a row was during a nine-game winning streak Oct. 28-Dec. 3, 2011.

 

Ohio State has scored three or more goals in all but two games this season and is in the Top 10 nationally averaging 3.64 goals a game. The team has allowed two or less goals in each of its last four games.