Mavs fall to No. 11 Buckeyes at Hockey Classic
Carter misses game with illness
By Shane Frederick
Free Press Staff Writer
The Minnesota State men's hockey team was without two key members of its power-play unit Wednesday.
So even when the Mavericks had the man advantage they felt shorthanded.
The Mavericks went scoreless on nine Ohio State penalties and lost 5-1 during the first day of the Ohio Hockey Classic in Columbus, Ohio.
Minnesota State played the 11th-ranked Buckeyes at Nationwide Arena without forwards Brock Becker and Ryan Carter, their fourth- and fifth leading scorers.
Becker had to sit out the game after receiving a game disqualification penalty for kicking during the Mavericks' last game at Colorado College. Carter, who has four power play goals this season, remained at the team hotel with an illness.
Ohio State scored two power play goals in the first-ever meeting between the two teams and handed MSU its fourth consecutive defeat.
The Buckeyes outshot the Mavericks 34-32. Twenty-three of MSU's shots came on the power play, and the Mavericks had a 13-7 shot advantage in the second period.
"We still had enough chances to make it a good hockey game," coach Troy Jutting said in a phone interview afterwards. "We just didn't score. ...
"In the second period we had four or five all-alone chances (on the power play) and didn't score on any of them."
Minnesota State was also without Ryan McKelvie, who has been out since early December with an illness.
"Carter and McKelive, this was their kind of game," Jutting said.
Jeff Marler scored the Mavericks' lone goal with 2:49 remaining in the first period. Jake Brenk and Kyle Peto assisted on the goal.
Tom Fritsche had a goal and two assists for the Buckeyes (12-5-2).
Minnesota State goalie Jon Volp made 29 saves. Chris Clark will start tonight's game against Miami. MSU forward Christian Toll played in his first game since Nov. 6, and defenseman Lucas Fransen was moved to forward for the night.
Becker will return to the lineup for today's game against Miami, but Jutting will still have some shuffling to do. Adam Gerlach must sit out after receiving a game disqualification penalty for checking from behind late in Wednesday's game.
The Mavericks (7-10-2) will face Miami at 4:05 p.m. today.
Minnesota State 1-0-0-1
Ohio State 2-1-2-5
First Period
Scoring
1. OSU-Maiani 8 (Collins, Caruso) ppg 4:25
2. OSU-Kroll 2 (Fritsche, Pelley) 9:01
3. MSU-Marler 2 (Brenk, Peto) 17:11
Penalties
- Pelley, OSU (hooking) :52
- Rankin, MSU (4:06)
- Barton, OSU (cross-checking) 5:50
- Bernard, OSU (obstruction-hooking) 9:53
- Guenin, OSU (roughing) 17:44
Second Period
Scoring
4. OSU-Anderson 3 (unassisted) 3:52
Penalties
- Guenin, OSU (roughing after the whistle) 6:46
- McCormick, MSU (roughing after the whistle) 6:46
- Schembri, OSU (unsportsmanlike conduct) 10:50
- Backes, MSU (goaltender interference) 11:22
- Kroll, OSU (high sticking) 12:27
- Beaudoin (boarding) 14:58
- Fritsche (unsportsmanlike conduct) 17:56
Third Period
Scoring
5. OSU-Fritsche 3 (Knapp, DeSantis) 1:07
6. OSU-Beaudoin 6 (Hood, Fritsche) ppg 17:07
Penalties
- Peto, MSU (tripping) 2:22
- Collins, OSU (boarding) 7:39
- MCormick, MSU (charching) 10:37
- Gerlach, MSU (elbowing) 16:03
- Wagner, MSU (slashing) 16:42
- Anderson, OSU (slashing) 16:42
- Volp, MSU (unsportsmanlike conduct) 18:50
- Gerlach, MSU (major-checking from behind, game disqualification) 19:51
- Brownlee, MSU (unsportsmanlike conduct) 19:51
- Strachan, OSU (unsportsmanlike conduct) 19:51
Summaries
Shots on goal
- MSU 13-13-6-32
- OSU 13-7-14-34
Penalty Minutes
- MSU 10 for 33 minutes
- OSU 12 for 24 minutes
Power-play Opportunities
- MSU 0 for 9
- OSU 2 for 6
Goalie Saves
- MSU-Volp 11-6-12-29
- OSU-Caruso 12-13-6-31