No. 5 Penn State returns home for a key Big Ten series against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are looking to snap an 0-3-1 skid that has effectively ended the team’s chances of winning the conference regular season title. Penn State swept the first series between these teams in Columbus on October 30 and 31.
How to Watch
Who: Ohio State Buckeyes
NPI Ranking (PSU): 27 (5)
When: Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21
Where: Pegula Ice Arena, State College, PA
Times: 8:30pm (Friday), 8pm (Saturday)
TV: Big Ten Network (both games)
Radio: Penn State Sports Network
Projected Lineup
Matt DiMarsico-Reese Laubach-JJ Wiebusch
Gavin McKenna-Luke Misa-Aiden Fink
Ben Schoen-Nic Chin-DeGraves-Casey Aman
Shea Van Olm-Lev Katzin-Nick Fascia
Jackson Smith-Jarod Crespo
Cade Christenson-Mac Gadowsky
Carter Schade-Nolan Collins
Josh Fleming
Kevin Reidler
Opponent Preview
It has been a mediocre season for Ohio State, who comes into the season with an 11-16-5 record. The Buckeyes have won three of their last four games, including a 3-2 home win over Wisconsin last Saturday, but this team has been inconsistent since the beginning of the season.
Davis Burnside and Max Montes each have 11 goals to lead the way for the offense. Jake Karabela, Felix Caron, Riley Thompson, and Adam Eisele all have at least 8 goals as well, giving this team enough scoring options to hang with a depleted Penn State lineup. Ohio State gets 31.7 shots on goal per game, good for 20th in the NCAA. The Buckeyes found success offensively in the first series between these teams this season, but Penn State made enough plays to secure the road sweep.
Defensively, Ohio State is a bit of a mess, giving up 3.4 goals per game (49th in NCAA). They are above average at preventing shots on goal (27th), but the goaltending has taken a big step back from last year’s squad. As a team, Ohio State’s team save percentage is .883, tied with Notre Dame for the worst mark in the conference and 59th in the NCAA. Kristoffer Eberly (.886 save percentage, 3.26 GAA) has regressed significantly from last season, which has been one of the biggest culprits in the Buckeyes’ fall from last season.
Ohio State is 22.7% on the power play (17th in NCAA) and 75.5% on the penalty kill (T-51st in NCAA). Poor goaltending has negatively affected this team’s penalty kill, and Penn State will need to take advantage.
News & Notes
- Fans attending this weekend’s games should be aware of parking and traffic changes due to THON.
- Penn State captain Dane Dowiak will miss the remainder of the season due to an injury.
- Aiden Fink was named an alternate captain for the rest of the season.
- Ohio State leads the all-time series 28-25-5.
- Ohio State is 1-5-1 in overtime games this season.
- Penn State enters the weekend with a 99.4% chance to make the NCAA Tournament.
Prediction
Down to 10 healthy forwards, this will be a more difficult series for Penn State than I might normally expect. Fortunately, this series is at home and Ohio State has had poor goaltending this year. Ohio State has enough firepower to keep the games close, but the Nittany Lions will find a way to win the series, and likely officially secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Penn State 4-3, 4-2