No. 4 Buckeyes Down Miami in Overtime, 3-2

Niddery scores gamewinner, Fritz and Dries also tally as Hjelle makes 37 saves

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Freshman Chad Niddery’s overtime goal gave the No. 4-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team a 3-2 road victory over Miami Saturday night at Steve Cady Arena in Oxford, Miami, and a series split with the RedHawks. The Buckeyes battled back from a goal down twice en route to the victory. The squad heads into the December break in first place in the CCHA with a 10-3-1-1 ledger and is 13-4-1 overall.

 

Against Miami (9-9-2, 5-7-2-1 CCHA), the Buckeyes answered RedHawk goals within three minutes twice to force overtime. The teams were scoreless after the opening 20 minutes. In the second, the RedHawks opened the scoring at 11:14 before a goal by freshman Tanner Fritz at 12:56 to tie the game at 1. In the third, Miami converted once on a major power play when Reilly Smith scored at 8:21. The Buckeyes held off the RedHawks for the final 1:33 of the advantage and then scored less than a minute later when senior Danny Dries tallied at 10:32 for a 2-2 game. The final goal came one second after a Buckeye power play expired in overtime and was scored after an Alex Carlson faceoff win deep in the RedHawk zone. All three Buckeye goals were scored on the rebound. Buckeye junior goalie Brady Hjelle had 27 saves in the win.

 

Neither team was able to score in the first period. Miami controlled play early, outshooting the Buckeyes, 5-1, in the first three minute. Ohio State outshot the RedHawks the rest of the way and ended the period with a 16-10 advantage in shots on goal. The Buckeyes had two unsuccessful power-play chances (with a third chance carrying into the second period) and did not take a penalty in the stanza.

 

The teams combined for two goals and 28 shots (14 apiece) in the second period. At 11:14 Miami’s Curtis McKenzie forced a turnover down low. Hjelle stopped the initial shot but McKenzie, all alone in front, was able to knock the puck into the net. Ohio State responded 1:42 later when Fritz put home a rebound from the slot off a shot from classmate Nick Oddo. Senior defenseman Sean Duddy had the second assist on the goal, which came at 12:56. The Buckeyes were 0-for-2 on the power play in the period and Miami was 0-for-1.

 

In the third, the teams were deadlocked until 8:21 when Miami’s Smith scored on a major power play. It was the only tally the RedHawks could garner from the 5-minute advantage and Ohio State converted soon after when Dries put in the rebound of a shot by junior Devon Krogh. MU goalie Cody Reichard had the original save but the puck was sitting in the crease and Dries was able to get to it first at 10:32. Hjelle had 14 saves in the period, as Miami outshot the Buckeyes, 15-7. Neither team was able to score the rest of the way and the squads went to overtime. Miami had the only power plays of the period.

 

In overtime, Miami was called for a high sticking penalty 37 seconds into the extra period. With time winding down on the advantage, Carlson won the faceoff and it went towards the goal. Reichard stopped the puck but Niddery was there for the rebound, scoring at 2:38 just one second after the power play had expired.

 

Ohio State was outshot, 39-38, in the game. Hjelle played all 62:38 and had 37 saves. Reichard had 35 saves in 62:38 for the RedHawks.

 

Ohio State did not convert on five power play chances. Miami was 1-for-3.

 

Postgame Notes

·         Ohio State will return to action Dec. 30 against Robert Morris at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. The team will play its next conference series Jan. 7-8 at Bowling Green. The next home game is Jan. 13 vs. Michigan, followed by The Frozen Diamond Faceoff outdoor game at Progressive Field in Cleveland against the Wolverines Jan. 15.

·         Niddery’s goal was the first of his career. He is the eighth Buckeye rookie to score a goal this season. Freshmen have eight of the Buckeyes’ 12 gamewinning goals this season.

·         Duddy has an assist in each of his last five games and in seven of his last nine outings. He has a career-high nine helpers this year.

·         Ohio State’s last two wins at Miami have both been in overtime, with a 5-4 victory in the 2010 CCHA quarterfinals.

·         The Buckeyes have held opponents to two goals or less in 11 of the last 13 games.

·         This is the first time the Buckeyes have had 13 wins prior to the December break since 1983-84. That squad opened the year 13-0 and was 17-3 at the break.

·         Hjelle was making his first start since a shutout at Alabama-Huntsville Nov. 4.

·         It was the Buckeyes’ first overtime win since Dec. 10, 2010 at Bowling Green. The team is 1-0-1 in overtime this year.

·         Dries leads the Buckeyes with 11 goals and is second with 16 points.

·         Sophomore Chris Crane heads into break with a team-best 18 points, ranking second with 10 goals. He had a four-game goal-scoring streak stopped vs. the RedHawks.

·         Ohio State has trailed by a goal in five of its last seven wins, allowing the first goal in each contest.

·         In the CCHA standings, Ohio State (14 games played, 32 points), leads second-place Notre Dame and Western Michigan (14 games played, 27 points) by five points each.