For the second time this season — and the second series in a row — the Ohio State men’s hockey team defeated the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, downing previously unbeaten Wisconsin 2-1 on Saturday at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, Ohio State Athletics reported. Thomas Weis scored in the first period for the Buckeyes, a wraparound goal early in the second period doubled the lead, and freshman goaltender Jakub Milota made 27 saves to close out the win.
The pattern is becoming a habit. Ohio State (4-6, 2-2 Big Ten) also defeated No. 1-ranked and then-unbeaten Michigan on October 31 in its last series, Ohio State Athletics reported — which means a team with a losing overall record has now beaten the top-ranked team in the country twice in two weeks, both times against previously unbeaten opponents, and this time on the road in one of the sport’s hardest buildings.
The Buckeyes struck first after killing off the game’s first power play, which started at 15:03 of the first period. Weis tallied 14 seconds after coming out of the penalty box, scoring from the high slot off a Ryan Rucinski pass at 17:17, with Sam Deckhut also assisting, Ohio State Athletics reported. The goal was Weis’s first of the season and his first since November 22, 2025, at Michigan, according to Ohio State Athletics.
A wraparound goal 2:50 into the second period made it 2-0, Ohio State Athletics reported. Wisconsin outshot the Buckeyes 23-11 through the first 40 minutes, including 15-6 in the second period, but Milota stopped all 15 shots he faced in the second, according to Ohio State Athletics.
Wisconsin (8-1-1, 4-1-1 Big Ten) made it a one-goal game eight minutes into the third period — JJ Wiebusch scored the Badgers’ goal, Wisconsin Athletics reported — and the finish was frantic. With 2:11 remaining, Ohio State appeared to take a 3-1 lead, but Wisconsin challenged for goaltender interference and the call on the ice was overturned, Ohio State Athletics reported. The Badgers pulled their goaltender at 18:22 for an extra attacker, and two Buckeye faceoff wins by Jake Karabela and a shot block from Benjamin Wilmott helped close out the game, according to Ohio State Athletics.
The numbers underline how much of this win belonged to Milota and the defense in front of him. Ohio State was outshot 28-19 — its 19 shots were a season low, and the Buckeyes were outshot for just the second time in 10 games, Ohio State Athletics reported. Milota played 59:43 and stopped 27 of 28 shots; forward James Hong led the Buckeyes with four shot blocks; Ohio State went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 0-for-1 on the power play, according to Ohio State Athletics. The loss snapped Wisconsin’s season-opening nine-game unbeaten streak, Wisconsin Athletics reported.
What we know — and what we’re still waiting on
What we know: Ohio State has beaten the nation’s No. 1 team in consecutive series (Michigan on October 31, Wisconsin on Saturday), Milota’s 27 saves backstopped a win in which the Buckeyes managed a season-low 19 shots, and the Buckeyes are 2-3 in one-goal games this season, per Ohio State Athletics. What we’re still waiting on: whether the Buckeyes can turn giant-killing into consistency — at 4-6 overall, the wins over No. 1 teams sit alongside six losses, and the home series ahead will show which version of this team is real. The hockey win capped a Wisconsin weekend for Ohio State athletics that also included the volleyball team’s five-set battle at Wisconsin, on a Saturday when the football team put away Northwestern 28-19 at the Shoe behind Jeremiah Smith’s Big Ten career receiving yards record.
What happens next: Ohio State returns to Columbus for two games against Notre Dame at the Schottenstein Center — Friday’s puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m., with Saturday’s at 5 p.m. for First Responders Night, Ohio State Athletics reported. Game details in this report are from Ohio State Athletics, with Wisconsin’s goal and unbeaten-streak details from Wisconsin Athletics.
Photo: JonRidinger, CC BY-SA
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