Montes nets game-winning goal, Rohlik achieves 200th career win
Sophomore forward Max Montes potted his second straight game-winning goal in Ohio State's 2-1 win over No. 16-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday night.
Montes scored twice on Friday, including the overtime winner with 17 seconds left in the extra session.
"I give credit to our guys for grinding out a win, especially because we were shorthanded on the bench from early in the game with Patrick Guzzo out with an injury," Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik said. "They hung in there. Getting a sweep on the road in the Big Ten is a big deal. I'm proud of our guys."
Saturday's game marked head coach Rohlik's 200th career win. The St. Paul native, the 2018 and 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year, is 200-163-44 since becoming bench boss prior to the 2013-14 season.
"Like I told our guys, this really isn't about me," he said on the milestone. "What the number means to me is about all the great players I've been able to coach and all the great coaches and staff I've been able to work with. The best part is the players and the people."
Ohio State jumped out to a 1-0 lead 21 seconds into the game. Sophomore forward Riley Thompson redirected defenseman Aiden Hansen-Bukata's shot from above the right-wing circle. The goal marked Thompson's second of the season.
The Buckeyes held a 6-5 shots-on-goal advantage and a one-goal lead on the scoreboard after the opening 20 minutes of play.
The Badgers responded with a strong second period, registering 11 shots to Ohio State's two. However, netminder Kristoffer Eberly, who stopped 28-of-29 on the night overall, kept a clean sheet in the frame.
Just 61 seconds into the third period, Montes doubled up Ohio State's lead on a chaotic play in front of the net. Wisconsin got one back on Quinn Finley's marker at 8:17 in the period. The New York Islanders draft pick cleaned up a loose puck in the goal mouth after it snuck through Eberly's legs on the initial chance.
The Buckeyes improved to 31-19-5 all-time against Wisconsin and extended their win streak in the series to three games.
Montes finished the weekend with three goals on three shots.