To say the Michigan hockey team has had the upper hand against Ohio State recently would be a gross understatement.
Since 2011, the Wolverines (8-4 Big Ten, 16-10 overall) have gone 9-0-1 against their neighbors to the south. The Buckeyes have been outscored 52-28 in those contests, 18 of those coming in just two games this season.
But as No. 15 Michigan has lost three of its last four games, Ohio State (3-9, 8-16-2) has improved and, more importantly, gotten healthy. The two teams will battle it out once again in Columbus on Friday, then in Ann Arbor on Sunday.
“They’re a different team, let’s face it,” Michigan coach Red Berenson told MGoBlue.com. “When we played them last game (on Jan. 16), they had seven regulars out, they couldn’t even dress a full lineup of players because of injuries, so they’re a whole different team, a different animal.
“They’ll want revenge, and we’ve go to go down there and keep pace.”
In addition to injuries, the Buckeyes have struggled to get the most out of their players who are on the ice. Ohio State leads the conference in game misconducts, surrender 3.5 goals per game, hasn’t been able to get the most out of what was thought to be a two-headed force in net between Matt Tomkins and Christian Frey.
The Buckeyes have dropped seven of eight games during the stretch, ruining any postseason aspirations.
“It really came down to whoever was less bad would play,” said Matthew McGreevy, a student reporter and broadcaster for Big Ten Network and Ohio State student radio. “It was pretty hard to watch. They had the injuries, but the problems were so much more than that.”
This time, however, the Buckeyes are much closer to full strength. With injuries, suspensions and position battles pretty much over, a new energy has arisen in Columbus.
“Wednesday’s practice was really the first time since November that everyone was back,” McGreevy said. “The team seems really excited to play, rather than just saying they’re excited.”
After dropping three of its last four games, though, Michigan is more than ready to move on, especially against one of the Big Ten’s worst teams.
“We know that it’s a rivalry against Ohio State, but we’ve got to stay focused on what we’re going to do and how we’re going to win,” said sophomore forward JT Compher to MGoBlue.com. “It’s not going to be about them, it’s going to focus on how we play and how focused we are on getting the win.”
In addition to returning to competition, the Wolverines are excited about another long-awaited return. Sunday’s game will mark Michigan’s first home game since Jan. 10.
“It’s been a while,” Compher said. “I think everyone’s excited to get back to Yost, but we have a game in Columbus on Friday that’s at the forefront right now, so we’re focusing on that first.”
Michigan has dominated Ohio State for three seasons. But with a rejuvenated lineup, Berenson knows that edge can be far from safe.
“I think any time you have an edge on the team, you’ve really got to pay attention to detail,” Berenson said. “We’re going to see their best hockey, and we’re going to need to play better than we did last week.
“The records don’t really mean anything. I think they’re better than their record because of all the injuries, and we need to get better if we’re going to have a good record.”