Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State scored four goals in the third period to beat the Western Michigan hockey team in front of 2,119 fans at the Value City Arena on Friday night.

The Broncos took an early 1-0 lead after a charging call Ohio State gave WMU the man advantage. Western Michigan’s Matt Tennyson held the puck at the right point, passing it across the slot to Jared Katz. Katz settled the puck in the left circle and beat Buckeye goaltender Dustin Carlson on his glove side for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Tennyson tallied his fourth assist and fellow blue-liner Tyler Ludwig also picked up a helper, also his fourth.

Early in the third period the Broncos had 36 seconds of a five-on-three advantage, but the Buckeyes killed it off. A penalty on Chris Clackson neutralized the remainder of the power play.

Just as Paul Kirtland exited the box the puck found him at center ice. Kirtland took the puck up the ice to the right circle and centered the puck and it took a bounce off of Matt Bartowski’s stick and between WMU goaltender Riley Gill’s legs to square the game, 1-1.

Ohio State’s Hunter Bishop netted a goal just 34 seconds later to give Ohio State its first and final lead of the game. Bishop shot the puck past Gill from just inside the left circle for his second goal of the season. Just 15 seconds later the Buckeyes added another goal, an unassisted tally by Matieu Picard to give OSU a 3-1 lead.

Western Michigan cut the lead, 3-2, during a five-on-three power play. Freshman defenseman Luke Witkowski blasted a shot from the left circle and past Carlson for his first career goal and the first goal by a Bronco defenseman this season. Greg Squires notched his team-leading eighth assist on the goal and Ludwig tallied his second of the game.

The Buckeyes pushed the lead back to two goals, 4-2, with 2:26 remaining in the third period. Peter Boyd tallied his third goal of the season with assists from Zac Dalpe and Shane Sims.

The Buckeyes and the Broncos battle once again on Saturday at 8:05 p.m. Bronco fans can view the game live via webcast on Bronco Insider.