Ohio State beat Wisconsin 3-2 to take their Big Ten Quarterfinals series two games to one. The Buckeyes will next play in the Big Ten Semifinals this week. This was the sixth time in seven games this season that the Buckeyes beat the Badgers.
The series got off to a bad start for the Buckeyes when they lost on Friday night, when they lost 4-1. The only bright spot was a late goal by Brent Johnson that helped the Buckeyes avoid being shut out by the Badgers.
Facing tournament elimination on Saturday, the Buckeyes fought and clawed back from being down 2-0 to send the game to overtime 2-2. They did it behind goals from Jake Rozzi and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine. The Buckeyes got the overtime win 3-2 off of a goal from Riley Thompson.
Sunday the Buckeyes were able to avoid Minnesota’s fate (the co-Big Ten regular season champions were upset by Notre Dame) and won 3-2 to advance to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals. Jake Rozzi got the first Buckeye goal to make the game 1-0.
Wisconsin would even the score 1-1 before Davis Burnside would score a powerplay goal to make it 2-1. Max Montes would get a goal that would make it 3-1 before the Buckeyes would hold off Wisconsin for the 3-2 win.
Ohio State will battle Penn State on Saturday for a shot at the Big Ten Tournament Championship where the winner will play the winner of the game between Michigan State and Notre Dame. The #10 Buckeyes will take on the #11 Nittany Lions at home in the Schottenstein Center.
Ohio State is 23-12-2 on the year and Penn State is 20-12-4. Ohio State went 2-2 against Penn State this season, and both teams won their home games against each other. In December the Buckeyes won their two games 4-0 and 4-2. In January, they lost in overtime and in a shootout. Both teams are likely to make the NCAA Tournament but are looking for all the momentum they can build and take with them into the big dance.