Neither goalie would budge, even when the game was officially over.
Minnesota goaltender Mat Robson and Ohio State goaltender Sean Romeo matched one another for 65 minutes. Each allowed one goal as the two top-10 teams finished Saturday afternoon tied 1-1.
OSU (19-8-5, 12-8-2-1 Big Ten) earned an extra point in the Big Ten standings by winning an eight-round shootout 2-1 between the two teams.
Making his seventh consecutive start in net, Robson tied his career high with 38 saves Saturday. In 11 games this season, the Minnesota (19-13-2, 10-10-2-1 Big Ten) sophomore has allowed two goals or fewer in nine and has a .945 save percentage.
“We’ve been preaching the playoff mindset. Games are going to be 2-1, 1-0, that sort of thing. We got to do all the right things”
“He was great. He’s been really good since he’s been able to join us,” said Brent Gates Jr. after the game. “You can’t blame him for that. He played an amazing game. He played great in overtime and did amazing in the shootout. One beat him, but he played a phenomenal game.”
Romeo, meanwhile, stopped 34 of 35 shots for the Buckeyes.
“We’ve been preaching the playoff mindset. Games are going to be 2-1, 1-0, that sort of thing. We got to do all the right things,” said Robson. “It’s two good teams going at it.”
After a scoreless first period, the second seemed destined to follow until Mason Jobst broke through in the final minute. Robson, who earlier in the period stopped a Christian Lampasso breakaway and a pair of Ohio State power plays, could not stop the junior forward in one of the few defensive breakdowns Minnesota’s defense saw all weekend.
“He did everything to give our guys a chance to get the extra point or get the win,” Minnesota head coach Don Lucia said about Robson.
Tommy Novak nearly tied the game in the final seconds of the second period. He helped contribute to Minnesota’s tying goal when Gates tapped home his rebound for the second time in as many games.
It was all the Gophers could do on Senior Day where the team’s five seniors were honored prior to the game. Finishing 0-3 on the power play, Minnesota had a 1:08 5-on-3 opportunity in the second period where Romeo stopped all six shots he faced.
“We played a good opponent this weekend. We won a game and then we battled back the second game. It might not have been our best game, but we found a way to claw back in the third and tie it,” said Gates. “It would have been nice to get the extra point, but I thought we played a good game.”
By not getting the extra shootout point the Gophers missed out on an opportunity although the tie helps the team’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Minnesota heads into the final weekend of the regular season one point short of finishing no worse than fourth place and clinching home ice in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
The Gophers travel to State College, Pa. next weekend to face Penn State. Friday’s game is at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday’s game starts at 6:00 p.m.
“You have to hold your head up high. This game isn’t for the faint of heart,” said Robson. “Sometimes it goes your way. Sometimes it doesn’t.”
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