Ohio State took game one of their two-game series this weekend against Wisconsin. The Buckeyes continued the trend they started against Notre Dame. They gave up the opening goal in both of those games before rattling off five straight to win both games 5-1. Against Wisconsin, the Buckeyes gave up the opening goal and answered with four straight goals to pick up the win 4-1.
The #8 Buckeyes move to 19-8-2 (12-6-1) on the season and are 11-2-1 at home this season. Wisconsin had the advantage with shots on goal with 38 to Ohio State’s 21. Buckeye goalie Logan Terness was lights out. The senior allowed just one goal, and he and the Ohio State defense stopped Wisconsin 97.4 of the game. On the offensive end, sophomore Riley Thompson, the Buckeyes leader in goals, had two in this win, bringing his season total to 16.
Ohio State takes on Wisconsin again on Saturday night as they fight their way up in the Big Ten standings. Only #2 Michigan State and #4 Minnesota are ahead of the Buckeyes with 43 and 39 points, respectively, to Ohio State’s 37. Then the Bucks will only have four regular-season games left. Two on the road against Minnesota and two at home against that team up north before the Big Ten Tournament.
The Buckeyes have never won the Big Ten Tournament and have only ever gotten at-large berths. Coach Steve Rholik and Ohio State are looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022-2023 and only the second time since the 2018-2019 season. The Buckeyes have made the tournament four times under Rholik, and a berth this year would be their 5th in his 12th season.
Ohio State would love to get a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. That would give them a great chance to make the Frozen Four.