Ohio State Men’s Hockey Falls Just Short in Double-Overtime Battle with No. 1 Seed Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament Championship Game

The Buckeyes came back from a 3-1 deficit in the third period and forced double overtime against No. 1 seed Michigan State on its home ice, but suffered a 4-3 defeat to the Spartans in the end.

It appeared as though Michigan State would win comfortably for most of regulation. The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the first period on power-play goals from Karsen Dorwart and Isaac Howard. Ohio State’s Joe Dunlap cut the lead to one with an even-strength goal late in the first period, but after a scoreless second period, Michigan State took a 3-1 lead in the first minute of the third period on a goal from Tanner Kelly.

In the final eight minutes of regulation, however, Damien Carfagna and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine each scored goals for the Buckeyes to even the score.

It took more than 35 minutes of overtime for either team to score the game-winning goal as Ohio State’s Logan Terness made 20 saves between the two overtime periods while Michigan State’s Trey Augustine stopped several close chances by the Buckeyes. In the end, however, Howard slipped a shot around Terness with 4:51 remaining in double overtime to score the game-winner for the Spartans.

Despite the loss, Ohio State is still in line to make this year’s NCAA Tournament. They’ll find out their seed on Sunday at 3 p.m., when the 16-team tournament bracket will be announced on ESPNU.