Third period turnover sinks No. 13 Wisconsin hockey at Ohio State

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s three-game winning streak came to an end in heartbreaking fashion Saturday, Feb. 14.

Ohio State’s Ryan Gordon stole the puck in the Badgers’ zone and fired the game-winner in the ninth minute of the third period to lift the Buckeyes to a 3-2 victory at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Gordon’s goal spoiled a night when Wisconsin, which is ranked No. 13 in the USCHO.com poll, didn’t trail through the first two periods and scored twice off the power play.

Senior Simon Tassy did the honors first, scoring for the third straight game 23 seconds before the end of the first period. Next it was freshman Vasily Zelenov’s turn as he put UW ahead, 2-1, at the 10:47 mark of the second period.

BOX SCORE: Ohio State 3, No. 13 Wisconsin 2

Each of Ohio State’s goals came at even strength. Gordon notched his first two-goal game of the season.

Freshman Jake Karabela set the stage for Gordon’s game-winner. He backhanded a pass from sophomore Felix Caron to tie the game at the 3:54 mark of the third period. It was Karabela’s fourth goal in the last six games.

A victory would have allowed Wisconsin (18-10-2, 11-9 Big Ten – 30 points) to climb into a third-place tie in the Big Ten with Penn State, which has played two fewer games. With the split Ohio State improved to 18-10-2 and 11-16-1 – 22 points.

Up next for UW is No. 2 Michigan at the Kohl Center. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, and at 6 p.m. Feb. 21.