The Golden Gophers men’s hockey team suffered a 2-1 loss in the Big Ten Conference series finale versus Ohio State inside 3M Arena at Mariucci Saturday night.

Minnesota (10-18-1 overall, 6-12-0 B1G, 20 points) used a goal from Brody Lamb to pull even early in the second period after the visitors struck for the opening tally in the first. The Buckeyes (10-15-1 overall, 6-10-0 B1G, 19 points) broke the deadlock and closed out the weekend sweep with the game-winning goal 10 minutes into the final frame.

After a disappointing effort Friday night, the Maroon and Gold came out of the gates with renewed energy in the series finale Saturday. The Gophers posted the first four shots on target and OSU was called for a penalty on a dangerous hit from behind 4:03 into the contest, but the man advantage was negated by an infraction to the home side a minute later.

The short power play was erased only to see the visitors capitalize on a giveaway with an open shot from the high slot for a 1-0 lead at the 8:11 mark. Matching minors to both teams opened space on the ice while skating 4-on-4 where Brodie Ziemer’s toe-drag shot nearly pulled Minnesota even before the period ended trailing by one.

The Gophers thought they had the tying goal less than four minutes into the second stanza but as Lamb’s rebound went into the net, play was halted as the mask of OSU’s goaltender fell off. The Maroon and Gold were not deterred and on the same shift, Lamb picked up a loose puck off Ziemer’s skate and buried a wrister to the far post, making it 1-1 at 4:08.

The game moved up and down the ice as both teams generated offensive opportunities through the middle of the frame. Axel Begley dropped down to deliver a critical blocked shot as the Buckeyes built an odd-man rush before a penalty to the Gophers as time expired sent the visitors to a power play to begin the third period.

Minnesota promptly wiped away the man advantage on the fresh sheet of ice and earned a 5-on-4 of its own two minutes later as Javon Moore was hooked going through the neutral zone. The power play was unsuccessful and for the second time in the contest, both teams were called for matching penalties to skate 4-on-4 with 11:13 to play in regulation. A lost puck at the red line allowed OSU to push the attack and get the go-ahead goal on a sharp-angle shot at the 10:25 mark.

Facing the 2-1 deficit, the Gophers went back to the man advantage in crunch time but could not get one past the Buckeyes’ netminder. Minnesota pulled its goalie for the final 90 seconds in a last-ditch effort to force overtime where Lamb rang a shot off the crossbar and the comeback fell short in a 2-1 loss.

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