One of the team's most successful seasons came in 1997–1998, the year before the Buckeyes moved into new the 17,500-seat Value City Arena, which replaced the aging and undersized (1,400-seat) Ohio State Ice Rink. The team finished the 1997–1998 season with an overall record of 27–13–2. They secured an at-large bid to the 1998 tournament.[3] That same season the Buckeyes advanced to the 1998 Frozen Four and lost in the semifinal game to Boston College 5–2.[3] The 1998 tournament was the program's first of two all-time Frozen Four appearances, the other coming in 2018. In 1999 the team advanced to the 1999 NCAA tournament. Despite a first round elimination with a 4–2 loss to Maine,[4] this marked the first time in school history the team made the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons.[5]
The time period during the early 2000s was the most successful period in the program's history. Ohio State made the NCAA Post season tournament in 2003, 2004, and 2005. The 2003–2004 season also saw the Buckeyes win the school's second CCHA post season tournament with a 4–2 win over Big Ten and CCHA rival Michigan.[6] After three seasons, the Buckeyes returned to the NCAA tournament in 2009,[7] when they received an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA tournament after a 5th-place finish in the CCHA regular season and falling to Alaska in the CCHA Quarterfinals. In the 2009 NCAA tournament the team lost 8–3 to Boston University in the first round.[8] The program was also invited to play in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic against Wisconsin on February 11, 2006, which was the second-ever outdoor ice hockey game played between college teams.[9]
On March 21, 2011 the Big Ten Conference announced plans to sponsor men's ice hockey starting in 2013–14 season. Ohio State along with CCHA rivals, Michigan and Michigan State would leave the CCHA to join Minnesota and Wisconsin from the WCHA and Penn State, who would elevate their men's and women's American Collegiate Hockey Association club programs to varsity status, to form a six-team Big Ten Hockey Conference.[10]
During the first half of the 2011–2012 season, the Buckeyes jumped out to a sizeable lead in the CCHA standings when the team recorded a 10–3–1 conference record.[11] The second half of the season proved much harder for Ohio State when the team recorded an eleven-game winless streak through January and the first half of February. The team broke the streak with a 4–3 win over Western Michigan,[12] the team's lone win in the second half of the season.[13] The Buckeyes fell from a season high, second-place ranking in January 2012 to 21st place by the end of the regular season.[14][15] In the first round of the 2012 CCHA tournament, Ohio State was swept by Notre Dame 2–0 and 4–2 in the best-of-three series.[16]
Despite an up and down 2013–14 season, Ohio State had a good showing in the inaugural Big Ten Hockey tournament. After defeating Michigan State in overtime in the first round, the Buckeyes upset #1 Minnesota 3–1. They ultimately fell 5–4 in overtime in the championship game to the Wisconsin Badgers. Despite missing out on the NCAA tournament, Ohio State would finish the 2013–14 season ranked #20.
A game between Ohio State and Michigan in 2015
After back to back losing seasons in 2014–15 and 2015–16, Ohio State had their first 20 win season and NCAA tournament berth in 8 years. Led by forwards Nick Schilkey and Mason Jobst, the Buckeyes had the second ranked offense in college hockey and a historically great power play. Ohio State finished third in the Big Ten, their highest finish in the league's four-year history. Despite the successful season, Ohio State did not clinch a tournament berth until Penn State defeated Wisconsin in the 2017 Big Ten tournament, giving the Buckeyes the final at large berth and the 4 seed in the West Regional in Fargo, North Dakota. The Buckeyes faced off against the #2 overall seed, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in the 1st round. A third period comeback sent the game to overtime with the score tied at two. The Bulldogs ended the Buckeyes season on a goal from Willie Raskob at 11:58 of the first overtime.
The Buckeyes are currently coached by Steve Rohlik. He was announced the new head coach on April 24, 2013 shortly after the departure of Mark Osiecki.[19]
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
The following is a list of people associated with the Ohio State men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Ohio State Buckeyes Hall of Fame.[21]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Current season 
