In a thrilling contest at Pegula Ice Arena, Penn State came from behind to defeat No. 9 Ohio State 7-6 in a shootout after trailing 3-0 in the second period. Captain Danny Dzhaniyev’s last-minute goal in regulation sent the game to overtime, where the Lions secured the victory.
First Period
Ohio State controlled much of the opening period, putting pressure on Penn State with tight defense and offensive zone dominance. The Buckeyes finally broke the deadlock when Nathan MacBrayer scored from the low slot to give them a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.
Second Period
The Buckeyes extended their lead to 2-0 when Thomas Weis finished off a perfect pass from Max Montes. Arsenii Sergeev was unable to stop the one-timer. Ohio State then made it 3-0 when James Hong added a backhand goal in transition.
Penn State responded with a flurry. Hobey Baker Award nominee Aiden Fink scored on a tricky angle shot that ricocheted off the Ohio State goalie and into the net. Matt DiMarsico followed up with a dazzling spin-o-rama goal to make it 3-2, keeping Penn State in the game as the period ended.
Third Period
The Lions tied the game early in the third, as their aggressive forecheck caused a turnover. Dylan Lugris passed to Dane Dowiak, who tapped it into the net. Ohio State quickly responded with Sam Deckhut scoring on a rush to make it 4-3.
Penn State wasn’t done, though. JJ Wiebusch scored a breakaway goal with a well-placed shot to tie the game at 4. The Lions took their first lead of the night on a power play goal by Aiden Fink, who buried a wrist shot off a cross-ice pass from Reese Laubach.
The Buckeyes fought back, with Patrick Guzzo scoring on a broken play to tie it at 5, followed by Riley Thompson’s goal through Sergeev’s legs to give Ohio State a 6-5 advantage.
With only seconds remaining, Penn State pulled their goalie and created chaos around Ohio State’s net. Dzhaniyev, diving through the crease, redirected the puck home with just 13 seconds left, sending the game into overtime.
Overtime
In overtime, Penn State carried the momentum, generating several strong chances, including a shot by DiMarsico that hit the post. Ohio State had a brief breakaway, but Sergeev came through with a clutch blocker save. Neither team could score, and the game moved to a shootout.
Shootout
In the shootout, Sergeev proved to be the hero once again, stopping all three Ohio State shooters. Dylan Lugris scored the only goal for Penn State, securing the victory and the extra standings point.
What’s Next
The two teams will face off again tomorrow night at Pegula Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
