By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
Ohio State University shut out Bowling Green State University hockey, 2-0, in front of a sold-out Slater Family Ice Arena on Saturday.
BGSU honored American ice hockey legend Mark Wells was honored with a moment of silence before the puck drop. BGSU coach Dennis Williams expressed how much his loss hurt not just Bowling Green but the hockey world.
“The beginning for Mark Wells is such a nice tribute to him. I am very thankful for his family to come and be a part of the ceremonial puck drop. Mark was always such a positive influence in the game of hockey, not just in Bowling Green but internationally. Just a night to remember such a special player and person,” said Williams.
BGSU got the first major opportunity of the game early in the first period as the Falcons headed to the power play because OSU sophomore and Washington Senators prospect Theo Wallberg was called for a high stick with 14:46 left in the first period, but the Falcons failed to convert.
The Buckeyes got their opportunity on a power play seven minutes later as BGSU sophomore Ben Doran was called for a trip, but the Buckeyes failed to convert and the game remained scoreless through the opening period.
Doran headed back to the box early in the second period, once again for a trip with 16:37 left in the second period. This time the Buckeyes capitalized with a captain Davis Burnside’s goal to give OSU the 1-0 lead with 15:14 left in the middle frame.
Similar to the night before when these two teams played each other at the Schottenstein Center, the game saw 4-on-4 hockey because Johannes Lokkeberg from BG and William Smith from OSU both sat two minutes for roughing, but the score remained 1-0 after the penalties were served.
The Bucks got another chance on the power play at the halfway point as co-captain Ethan Scardina was called for a hookout in front of his defending net. The Falcons killed this off, but as Scardina was heading back into the play, OSU junior Damien Carfagna lasered a puck past Moore for his second goal of the weekend to make it 2-0 with 7:59 remaining in the second period.
BGSU had two more chances to cut the lead in half with a power play lasting four minutes on two separate minor penalties. First, Gunnarwolfe Fontaine was called for a trip with 5:45 that was killed. Then, with 2:46 in the second, Max Montes was called for a trip that would also be killed off by the Buckeyes.
Two penalties were called in the final seconds of the middle 20 minutes as BG co-captain Ryan O’Hara sat for two minutes for roughing and OSU’s James Hong sat for a five-minute major for facemask, sending both teams to the third period.
Both teams killed their penalties off, leaving the game 2-0 in favor of Ohio State with just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
Less than two minutes later, Bowling Green got yet another chance on the power play as OSU was caught with too many men on the ice, but the Falcons failed to convert.
With 7:58 left in period three, the Falcons took a huge blow as defenseman Gustav Stjernberg sar for five minutes with a high stick. Fornunately for the Falcons, the Buckeyes made it 4-ion-4 hockey for two of the five minutes.
The Buckeyes killed off that penalty, putting them back on the power play for over two and a half minutes. Bowling Green killed off the penalty but ran out of time, giving the Buckeyes the 2-0 win.
