The first extended power play might have been too much too early for a young Ohio State men’s hockey team but the second opportunity – aided by a two-man advantage - was the difference as the Buckeyes opened the season with a 2-1 victory against Quinnipiac on Friday in Value City Arena.
Quinnipiac survived a 5-minute major and game disqualification to senior captain Scott Zurevinski for contact to the head of Danny Dries eight minutes into the middle period – the Buckeyes got just two shots but could not increase a 1-0 lead – but another major by Bryce Van Brabant for the same penalty directed at Dries again early in the third was the Bobcats’ undoing.
With the score tied, OSU freshman Darik Angeli drew a slashing penalty from Zach Davies to give the Buckeyes a 5-on-3.
That’s when a trio of rookies went to work as Ben Gallagher spotted Max McCormick in the high slot. He fed Ryan Dzingel as he cut in front of the crease and Dzingel deposited a nifty backhander for the decisive goal at 7:44.
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“It was one of those plays that happened so quick I can’t even remember what happened,” Dzingel said. “The guys made some unbelievable passes.”
Ohio State, playing 10 freshmen against a club that returned 23 players and nine of their top 10 scorers, got on the board first with a conventional power-play goal by Chris Crane at 3:20 of the first period with Alex Carlson and Angeli assisting but the Buckeyes took three of the game’s first four penalties and couldn’t sustain the momentum.
“We had a lot of freshmen come out and play hard. I feel like a lot of us were a little hesitant and nervous in the first game, myself included,” Dzingel said. “The first two periods showed that but we showed a lot of character in the third getting the win.”
Despite spending a fourth of the middle period defending Zurevinski’s infraction, the Bobcats outshot OSU 16-4 in the period but the damage was done.
“Even on the first one we killed off we lose or best player, or captain. That killed us,” Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said. “We expended a lot of energy killing that off, too.”
OSU senior goalie Cal Heeter picked up where left off with 35 saves and was only beaten at 16:20 of the second stanza when Spencer Heichman stuffed his own rebound.
“We played great in the D zone,” Heeter said. “We had a couple of breakdowns, mental breakdowns in the D zone but we had a lot of guys blocking shots. We had guys all over sacrificing their bodies. It made it easy for me.”
He didn’t mind facing a barrage of shots.
“It’s fine with me as long as we end up with a win at the end of the night,” Heeter said.
That was made possible when Quinnipiac couldn’t stay out of the penalty box in the third period and the Buckeyes made them pay.
“That’s the hockey game right there,” Pecknold said of Dzingel’s goal. “It’s certainly disappointing but I can’t comment on the officiating.”
The teams play again Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in Value City Arena with the Buckeyes looking for a sweep now that his young Bucks have the taste of victory.
“It certainly takes some of the pressure off of them,” OSU coach Mark Osiecki said. “It’s going to be a journey for us and I think it’ll be a fun journey. I thought we reacted very well in the third period.”
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