Men’s Ice Hockey: Ohio State survives overtime thriller over Penn State to secure spot in Big Ten Championship

Liv Rinaldi
Sun, 16 Mar 2025 21:26:46 +0000
Ice Hockey, Instagram Page, Men's hockey, News, Sports, Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Brent Johnson, Buckeyes, Caden Brown, Carter Krier, Chris Able, Christopher Romaine, Damien Carfagna, Davis Burnside, Dylan Godbout, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, hockey, Jake Dunlap, Jake Rozzi, James Hong, Jason Rule, JB Bittner, Joe Dunlap, John Larkin, Kristoffer Eberly, Layne LeBel, Logan Terness, Max Montes, men's hockey, Men's ice hockey, Nathan Lewis, Nathan McBrayer [and 16 more]

Ohio State senior defenseman Brent Johnson (7) and junior defenseman Jake Dunlap (91) watches warmups before the Big Ten Tournament semifinal game against Penn State Saturday. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

The Ohio State men's hockey huddles before their last game in the Schottenstein Center Saturday. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State sophomore forward Ryan Gordon (29) and Penn State junior defenseman Jarod Crespo (24) fight for puck possession during the game Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (13) celebrates his opening goal during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Penn State junior goaltender Arsenii Sergeev (35) watches the puck during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State junior defenseman Damien Carfagna (93) fires a shot from the blue line during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State sophomore forward Ryan Gordon (29) and Penn State sophomore forward Dane Dowiak (19) clash at a faceoff during the game Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Penn State senior Ben Schoen (12) celebrates his goal to even up the score during the game against Ohio State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

The Penn State men's hockey team celebrates a goal from freshman forward JJ Wiebusch (20) during the game against Ohio State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State sophomore forward Thomas Weis (10) scoops up the puck during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State freshman defenseman Chris Able (4) maintains possession against Penn State freshman forward Keaton Peters (9) during the game against Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (13) brings the puck below the goal line during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

The Ohio State men's hockey team celebrates a goal from graduate forward and captain Patrick Guzzo (71) to put the Buckeyes up 3-2 during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Penn State sophomore forward Matt DiMarsico (14) celebrates his goal to tie the game against Ohio State at 3-3 Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Penn State freshman defenseman Cade Christenson (27) topples Ohio State graduate forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (13) during the game Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (13) celebrates after his game winning goal during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

The Ohio State men's hockey team celebrates the win during the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata (20) taps the glass after the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State junior defenseman Damien Carfagna (93) and Penn State junior defenseman Jarod Crespo (24) embrace in the handshake line after the game Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

The Ohio State men's hockey team salutes the Schottenstein Center after the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Ohio State freshman forward Nathan Lewis (63) celebrates with fans as he leaves the ice after the game against Penn State Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 4-3 in overtime to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Going into the final period, the Buckeyes faced an uphill battle to tie the game, let alone win it.

They tied it.

They took the lead.

They lost the lead.

Then, in overtime, No. 10 Ohio State defeated No. 11 Penn State in a dramatic 4-3 sudden-death victory Saturday night in Columbus, securing a spot in the Big Ten tournament championship at Value City Arena.

“That’s playoff hockey right there.” Buckeyes head coach Steve Rohlik said.

The energy in Value City Arena was electric as fans braced for what would be the season finale for one of the two teams.

Halfway through the first period, forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine gave the Buckeyes an early lead with a tip-in just in front of the net.

It was a promising start for Ohio State.

However, Penn State wouldn’t go down without a fight.

With a 1-0 lead, Penn State took the momentum in the second period. Forward Ben Schoen scored just two minutes into the period, followed by forward JJ Wiebusch, who netted a power-play goal seven minutes later to give the Nittany Lions a 2-1 lead.

With much on the line in the third period, both teams sensed the intensity of the battle that had unfolded.

The shots on goal in the period alone were 15-13 in favor of Penn State.

Down 2-1, Ohio State needed a response.

And it got the response at 9:19, when Buckeye forward Nathan Lewis tied the game with a tipped goal.?

Two minutes later, it looked as if Ohio State had sealed the game-winning goal when forward Patrick Guzzo buried a one-timer in front of the net, lifting the Buckeyes from a one-goal deficit to a 3-2 lead.

With six minutes to go, all Ohio State had to do was hold off Penn State’s offense.

But the Nittany Lions had other plans.

And Rohlik knew it.

“Neither team was going to quit tonight,” he said.

A backhander from Penn State forward Matt DiMarsico with six minutes to play knotted the game at three before it sent the game into overtime.

Fontaine opened the game with a goal, and he sent the Nittany Lions home with a goal, too.

“We got our chance on a two-on-one. And a 100 and plus point guy had it on a stick,” Rohlik said. “I’ll bet money that’s probably going in.”

The Buckeyes return to action Saturday for a chance to capture their first Big Ten title against top-seeded Michigan State.