COLUMBUS, Ohio - University of Massachusetts hockey's streak of not trailing its opponents to start the 2018-19 campaign came to an end at 238 minutes and 38 seconds as No. 1 Ohio State broke a 1-1 tie with 1:22 remaining in the third period and added an empty net goal to take the second game of the weekend series, 3-1 on Saturday evening at Value City Arena. It marked the first loss of the season for the Minutemen (3-1-0), while the Buckeyes move to 3-1-0, as well.
"I don't think it was a case of 'we deserved better', I think it was pretty evenly matched," said UMass head coach Greg Carvel, "I think both teams were lacking energy. They had a little bit more because I think they were a little angrier. I didn't like the way we started, we got a bit better through the middle of the game, but we didn't play well enough to win tonight in my opinion."
For a second straight night, UMass opened the scoring against the top-ranked Buckeyes. At the six-minute mark of the first period, sophomore Mitchell Chaffee put back a rebound off a wide Cale Makar shot. Freshman Bobby Trivigno picked up an assist, as well, extending his point streak to four straight games to start his collegiate career.
However, Ohio State responded just 13 seconds later as Tanner Laczynski curled out of the corner and fired a shot through traffic that found its way past netminder Filip Lindberg to tie things up at 1-1.
The teams would remain deadlocked through a scoreless second and, with overtime looming, the Buckeyes broke through for the go-ahead tally 18:38 into the third. Laczynski flipped a backhander over Lindberg for his second of the night off a feed from Grant Gabriele.
Mason Jobst then secured the win for Ohio State with an empty net goal at the 19:12 mark.
The Buckeyes finished the night with a 39-36 shot advantage, while both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play. Lindberg registered 36 saves for UMass and his counterpart, Tommy Nappier, made 35 stops for Ohio State.
The Minutemen will be back in action next Friday, Oct. 26, hosting Merrimack for the squad's 2018-19 Hockey East opener at the Mullins Center at 7 p.m.
