ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University men's hockey team and Ohio State played to a 2-2 overtime tie on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,739 fans at the Erie Insurance Arena to conclude their weekend series billed as "The Snowtown Throwdown". The Lakers are now 8-6-3 overall while the Buckeyes left the Erie Insurance Arena with an overall mark of 6-9-2.

Mercyhurst enjoyed a 2-0 lead after freshman Jonathan Charbonneau scored just 1:16 into the middle period. But, the Buckeyes fought back to force overtime, where neither team could dent the scoreboard.  

Both teams opted to change goaltenders from Friday's game, won by Ohio State 6-3. The Buckeyes went to sophomore Christian Frey (2-4-1), who made the 24th start of his career and eighth of the season. The Lakers countered with freshman Brandon Wildung (1-1-2). Wildung was making his first start, and third overall, since a 6-3 win at Army on December 3.

The Lakers opened the scoring late in the first period, at 19:41, when freshman forward Jack Riley scored on Mercyhurst's second power play opportunity of the period. Senior defenseman Tyler Shiplo fired a shot from the right point that ricocheted off of Riley, then off of an Ohio State defender, to find the back of the net. Riley's fifth goal of the season – and second with the man advantage – was also helped by senior Ryan Misiak. Mercyhurst outshot Ohio State 6-2 in the opening period. Only Bowling Green allowed fewer shots in a period this season to Ohio State, limiting the Buckeyes to a single shot on goal in the middle period during a 3-2 win in Columbus on November 15.

Both teams picked up the pace in the middle period. Mercyhurst kept the pressure on early in the second and it paid dividends when Charbonneau collected his fourth of the year, tipping a shot from Shiplo at the right point, and beating Frey through the five-hole. Redshirt senior Kyle Just also earned an assist. It was Charbonneau's first goal since November 8 in a 7-5 win at home over Army.

But Ohio State's senior forward Matt Johnson silenced the crowd by scoring his eighth of the season and fourth of the series at 10:50. Forwards Chad Niddery and Christian Lampasso each picked up assists. Ohio State outshot the Lakers 13-11 in the middle period.

The Buckeyes got even at 11:52 of the third when junior speedster Anthony Greco beat Wildung. The goal, which would be reviewed, came from behind the goal line afs the puck caromed off s prone Wildung and trickled across the goal line. It was Greco's eighth goal of the year and was helped by senior captain Tanner Fritz and junior Craig Dalrymple.

Neither team was able to score the remainder of the third or during the five-minute overtime. Ohio State had a 9-7 shot advantage in the third, a 4-2 margin in overtime, and a modest 28-26 edge over 65 minutes of play. The Lakers had been outshot 43-18 in Friday's setback.

The Lakers had the game's lone power play goal. Mercyhurst finished 1-for-3 with the extra skater on Saturday and 1-for-5 in the series. The Buckeyes ended the contest 0-for-4 and were just 1-for-9 in the two games.

Misiak extended his scoring streak to six games while Riley now owns a five-game streak.

The tie was the first in the all-time series between the teams which the Buckeyes lead 5-1-1.

Mercyhurst has nothing but Atlantic Hockey Association games left in the regular season. The Lakers continue their seven-game homestand with a pair of games against Sacred Heart on Friday, January 9 and Saturday, January 10. That will be followed by a visit from Canisius on Tuesday, the 13th, and a pair with Holy Cross on the 16th and 17th.  All games start at 7:05 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.