DETROIT — Three takeaways from Ohio State’s 6-3 victory over Michigan State on Thursday.
1. Goals came in bunches from both sides. Ohio State has been known as a team that has quick strike ability and Thursday was no different. The Buckeyes scored in bunches during this 6-3 victory. In the first period they got goals from Mason Jobst and Nick Schilkey just 1:35 apart to take a 2-0 lead. Michigan State responded and did Ohio State one better, getting three goals 5:22 apart to take a 3-2 lead. The Spartans goals were scored by Villiam Haag, Dylan Pavelek and Sam Saliba (power play). “You go down two goals, its important to not panic and to stick to our game,” Haag said. “We managed to get a goal and then continue rolling on that.” Not to be outdone, Ohio State score three goals in 3:51 of the third to retake the lead and finish off the Spartans.
2. Mason Jobst and David Gust led the Buckeyes. Gust scored twice in 1:13 and leading scorer Jobst added a goal and two assists for Ohio State, which advanced to Friday’s semifinal against Wisconsin. Gust has been a role player in his career but Thursday took some of the spotlight for himself. “I feel like I’ve kind of been in that role the past two years, so I’m pretty comfortable with it, I’d say,” he said.
3. Ohio State ate from the top shelf on Michigan State goalie Ed Minney. The game plan for attacking the Spartans goaltender must have been to shoot high and shoot often. Ohio State scored six goals on Minney before he was pulled in the third period. Four of those goals were scored over his shoulder and the Buckeyes had two more shots ring off the crossbar over his left shoulder.
