#9 Miami (18-8-2, 13-5-2 CCHA) broke a 1-1 stalemate 1:38 into the third period thanks to a Ray Eichenlaub goal. After taking the lead, Miami held off a flurry of scoring chances by Ohio State (9-10-5, 7-7-4 CCHA), surviving four OSU power plays to win 2-1. The victory not only ensured the weekend series for the RedHawks but also the season series. Playing five games in a little over a month, Miami won the season series 2-1-2.
Furious back-and-forth action does not even begin to describe the first period. Each team scored a goal and combined for 23 shots and penalties while clashing frequently in an intense 20 minutes. That’s exactly the type of play expected in a rivalry matchup.
Just like Friday night, Miami was the first to light up the scoreboard on a Ryan Jones goal. Jones exited the penalty box and quickly raced to Miami’s zone, joining teammates Nathan Davis and Dane Hetland. Davis, Miami’s leader in points with 41 points, skated into OSU’s zone and lost the puck in front of the net. Hetland swooped in but was unable to get good wood on the puck; however, he was successful in pulling Buckeyes’ netminder Joseph Palmer out of the net. The puck finally found its way to Jones. Jones gained control of the puck with his skate, allowing him to score into the open net.
It did not take long for the Buckeyes to respond. OSU answered a little over two minutes later at 5:06 on an even-strength, unassisted goal by forward Tommy Goebel. Goebel scored after a costly Miami turnover in their zone. Marty Guerin was unable to handle an Eichenlaub pass, and Goebel jumped all over the puck, rifling a shot from the right circle over RedHawks’ goalie Jeff Zatkoff’s right shoulder. Goebel also had a goal Friday night in the 4-4 tie in Columbus.
After a scoreless second period, where both teams let scoring chances come and go, OSU’s forward Bryce Anderson came within inches of giving the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead. The left-handed forward skated up the right boards before firing a shot over Zatkoff’s right arm, hitting the left post, and rolling behind Zatkoff and out of harm's way.
At the time it appeared that Anderson’s shot hit the net and bounced out; however, replays showed the puck clearly hit the post. Even though the Central Collegiate Hockey Associate has the technology to review all goals this season, the officials elected not to review the sequence, much to the chagrin of Buckeye’s head coach John Markell.
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