COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Big Ten Conference opener was a mostly forgettable one for the top-ranked Gophers men's hockey team.
Top-ranked Gophers stumble to Ohio State in Big Ten hockey opener
Bob Motzko lamented the team's lack of energy during a 6-4 loss to the Buckeyes.
October 29, 2022 at 4:26AM
Travis Treloar scored twice, Jakub Dobes made 27 saves and No. 11 Ohio State beat the Gophers 6-4 on Friday night at Value City Arena.
The Gophers were 9-1 in their previous 10 meetings against the Buckeyes and hadn't lost at Ohio State since Dec. 6, 2019.
"Obviously, we're not real happy right now," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. "That was not a good effort by us. Our energy was low, and we're trying to find it, and we've got a few guys pushing. I say it was like a trip to the dentist tonight."
Treloar gave Ohio State the lead for good with a power-play goal in the second period, and Ohio State's Joe Dunlap made it 3-1 only 1 minute, 12 seconds later.
Brody Lamb responded with a goal for the Gophers at 13:10 of the second period, but Ohio State's Stephen Halliday stole the puck right near the Gophers net and scored to restore the two-goal lead at 14:33.
"Our emotion wasn't there from the start," Motzko said.
After Treloar's second goal two minutes into the third period made it 5-2, the Gophers pulled goalie Justen Close for Owen Bartoszkiewicz. Close made 21 saves, Bartoszkiewicz eight.
Jackson Lacombe, Bryce Brodzinski and John Mittelstadt also scored for the Gophers.
"If we're looking for a bright spot, we got four," Motzko said. "You don't give up six."
USA Today’s annual assistant coach salary report had the Gophers 15th out of 15 Big Ten schools that responded.
