Eric Boggs
Gunnarwolfe Fontaine’s second goal of the night sealed a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory for No. 10 Ohio State over No. 11 Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at Value City Arena. With the win, the Buckeyes secured their place in the championship game, where they will take on top-seeded Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in East Lansing. Ohio State is in pursuit of the program’s first-ever Big Ten postseason title after the Spartans edged No. 7 Notre Dame 1-0 in the other semifinal matchup.
The Buckeyes, now boasting a 24-12-2 record, had already proven their dominance over the Nittany Lions this season, finishing with a 3-1-1 mark against them. Penn State closes out its run with a 20-13-4 record.
The game was a battle from start to finish. Fontaine opened the scoring in the first period, giving Ohio State a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. However, Penn State responded with two unanswered goals in the second period—Ben Schoen capitalizing on a Buckeye defensive miscue at 2:08 and JJ Waiebusch converting on a power play at 9:05—sending Ohio State into the third period trailing 2-1.
With the season on the line, the Buckeyes answered the challenge. Nathan Lewis evened the score at 9:19 after knocking in a bouncing puck, a play initially ruled no-goal due to a high stick before being overturned after review. Just over two minutes later, Patrick Guzzo finished off a crisp 2-on-1 play set up by Joe and Jake Dunlap, giving Ohio State a 3-2 advantage. Penn State managed to tie it once more at 14:05 when Matt Di Marsico buried a rebound, sending the game to overtime with a trip to the final at stake.
In the extra frame, the Buckeyes took control, outshooting the Nittany Lions and creating multiple scoring chances. The game-winner came at 14:31 when Davis Burnside forced a turnover in the neutral zone, allowing Riley Thompson to set up Fontaine for a decisive five-hole finish. The Buckeyes erupted in celebration as the home crowd roared, knowing they were heading to the championship game.
Ohio State outshot Penn State 42-34, with goaltender Logan Terness making 31 saves over 74:31 of play. The Buckeyes also recorded 20 blocked shots, with Chris Able and Lewis leading the way with three each. Both teams had just one power play opportunity in a tightly contested affair.
The Buckeyes will be making their third appearance in the Big Ten Tournament final (2014, 2018), still seeking their first title. Fontaine’s two-goal effort marked his sixth career multi-goal game and fourth as a Buckeye. He leads the team with 39 points, including 16 goals and 23 assists, and has registered five points in his last three outings. Burnside and Damien Carfagna extended their point streaks to three games, with Burnside ranking second on the team in scoring with 33 points and Carfagna tied for fourth with 26.
Ohio State has excelled in tight contests this season, boasting a 9-3 record in one-goal games. Five of their last six matchups have been decided by just a single tally. The Buckeyes have outscored opponents 51-34 in the third period and 5-2 in overtime throughout the campaign, showcasing their ability to finish strong.
With their eyes set on history, the Buckeyes will now prepare for their biggest test yet against Michigan State, eager to claim the program’s first Big Ten championship crown.
