Michigan
Ohio State
Michigan Hits the Road for B1G Showdown with No. 6 Ohio State
1/24/2018 4:29:00 PM | Ice Hockey
THIS WEEK
Friday, Jan. 26 -- at #6 Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 7 p.m.
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Saturday, Jan. 27 ÂÂ at #6 Ohio State (Columbus, Ohio), 8 p.m.
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• Complete Game Notes - Jan. 26 (PDF)
• Complete Game Notes - Jan. 27 (PDF)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team (12-10-2, 7-7-2-1 B1G) is set to face off with No. 6 Ohio State (15-5-4, 8-5-1 B1G) this weekend (Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-27) at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
The Ohio State Series
Michigan and Ohio State will meet for the 135th time in program history, with U-M holding an 81-40-13 record in the series. The two teams first met in February 1964, as Michigan beat Ohio State, 21-0, in Columbus. From 1990-95, the Wolverines won 22 straight matchups over the Buckeyes. Michigan holds a 40-16-7 road record against Ohio State.
Earlier this season the Wolverines dropped two games against the Buckeyes over Thanksgiving weekend in Ann Arbor.
Scouting the Buckeyes
Ohio State is led by head coach Steve Rohlik, who was named the ninth head coach in Ohio State history in 2013. He has led Ohio State to an 82-68-22 record, as well as having Ohio State be in the top 15 nationally in scoring offense in three out of his first four seasons at the helm. Last season, the Buckeyes posted an overall record of 21-12-6, including a home record of 7-7-2, and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009.
The Buckeyes were picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten this season in the 2017-18 Big Ten preseason poll. Ohio State had two players selected to the 2017-18 Big Ten Preseason Watch List in forwards Mason Jobst and Matthew Weis.
Leading Ohio State
Ohio State is led by sophomore forward Tanner Laczynski, junior forward Mason Jobst and senior forward Matthew Weis, who have combinined for 83 points. Laczynski leads the Buckeyes with 23 assists and 34 points, while he and Jobst have a team-high 11 goals each.
In net, redshirt junior Sean Romeo has played in 21 games, totaling 1,264 minutes for Ohio State. He has allowed 43 goals, an average of 2.04 per game, and saved 524 shots for a .924 percentage. Freshman Tommy Nappier has made four appearances this season with three starts.
Last Weekend's Sweep at Yost
Last weekend the Wolverines came away with a sweep of then-No. 12 Penn State in Ann Arbor, taking the first game, 4-0, and then capping off the sweep with a 3-2 final on Saturday (Jan. 20).
On Friday (Jan. 19), behind the fourth shutout of sophomore Hayden Lavigne's career and four goals, the Wolverines came away with the series-opening victory. Michigan first struck 12:27 into the contest when freshman forward Jack Becker scored his second goal of the season. After a scoreless second period, U-M scored three goals in the third period. Becker had his second goal of the night, followed by goals from Josh Norris and Brendan Warren.
Saturday's game gave the Wolverines their fourth straight victory. Michigan got on the board just 26 seconds in from Warren. Senior Dexter Dancs added another goal in the first period, the first power-play goal of his career, to extend the U-M lead to 2-0. The Maize and Blue found the net again in the third period on freshman Dakota Raabe's first goal. Penn State went on to score two goals in just 1:03, but it could not get another goal past Lavigne. The sophomore goaltender had a career-high 43 saves in the game.
Home Cookin'
With the sweep of Penn State, the Wolverines have now won seven straight home games against Nittany Lions. The streak is tied for Michigan's longest active home win streak against an opponent (St. Lawrence University).
How Sweep It Is
With the sweep of Penn State, Michigan has had back-to-back sweeps for the first time since the 2014-15 season when it swept Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Hayden Heatin' Up
Sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne has played in 17 games this season, surpassing the total of 13 from his freshman season. Following two victories last weekend, he holds an 8-6-2 record for the season. He has won four straight games and has lowered his goals-against average to 2.51. His two goals allowed on the weekend and 77 saves earned him the Big Ten's First Star of the Week award.
Blank-it Statement
Starting two weekends ago in Minnesota and ending on Saturday against Penn State, the Wolverines posted six consecutive shutout periods, the most this season. The total time between goals allowed by the Maize and Blue in that span was 142:37.
Kickin' It up for 11
Brendan Warren added a goal and an assist in the series against Penn State, giving him four goals and five points in the past four games.
Hobey Hopefuls
Tony Calderone and Cooper Marody have both been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey's top player. Michigan has had two Hobey Baker winners in its history, with Brendan Morrison winning in 1997 and Kevin Porter in 2008.
Run DMC
Michigan's "DMC" line of Dexter Dancs, Cooper Marody and Tony Calderone has combined for 76 points out of a total of 211 team points (36.0 percent) through 24 games.
Tony Lights the Lamp
Calderone's 15 goals are the most by a U-M player in the first 24 games of a season since Louie Caporusso's 18 goals in 24 games during the 2008-09 campaign.
Marody in Good Company
Marody's 31 points are the most by a Wolverine through 24 games since Kevin Porter had 41 in 2007-08 when he won the Hobey Baker Award.
Quinn-tessential Blueliner
Freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes' 14 points (1g, 13a) from the point are the most by a U-M freshman blueliner through 24 games since Zach Werenski had 19 points through that span in 2014-15.
Climbin' the Ranks
Marody ranks tied for eighth nationally with 31 points on the season and second with 22 assists. Calderone is tied for 10th nationally with 15 goals.
GOALLL!!!
Michigan ranks 10th in the nation in goals per game, averaging 3.33 goals over its first 24 games. Calderone ranks tied for sixth in the nation in goals per game at 0.62.
Block It Out
Michigan ranks fourth nationally with an average of 15.00 blocked shots per game and eighth in total blocked shots with 360 on the season.
Shots, Shots, Shots
Michigan ranks ninth nationally with an average of 33.46 shots on goal per game and is 19th in the nation with a +3.00 shots on goal margin per game.
For Matzka
Michigan will host its second annual ALS Awareness Game on Saturday, Feb. 2. The game will be played in honor of former Wolverine Scott Matzka '01, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. To learn more about Matzka's story visit www.ScottMatzka.com and Twitter #MYTURN4ALS.
Up Ahead
Michigan will return home to face Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 2-3) at Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena. Michigan tied and lost a game vs. the Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin, earlier this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. both nights.
