WHO: Ohio State Buckeyes (12-15-5) vs. No. 2 Miami RedHawks (23-5-6).
WHERE: Friday--Cady Arena, Oxford, Ohio; Saturday, Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio.
WHEN: 8:05 p.m. both nights.
TV: Friday--CBS College Sports.
MIAMI RADIO COVERAGE: Saturday--WKVB-AM (1490).
NOTES: Ohio State is a better team than when Miami swept it to conclude the first half of its season prior to Christmas break.
This weekend, the teams will finish up regular-season play.
The Buckeyes opened the season 2-6-1. But after Miami's 6-0 and 4-2 wins on Dec. 11-12, Ohio State is 6-3-4.
Sophomore Zac Dalpe is Ohio State's top goal scorer and points producer with 19 goals and 17 assists. The Carolina Hurricanes draftee is second in the CCHA in goals and tied for fifth with Miami junior Andy Miele in conference points.
Ohio State's second- and third- leading scorers have dished out more than three assists per goal. Junior forward Peter Boyd has six goals and 22 assists, and Atlanta Thrashers draft pick John Albert currently has five goals and 20 assists.
Other forwards to be wary of are juniors Sergio Somma and Hunter Bishop. Somma has 11 goals and 13 assists, and Bishop has nine goals and 10 assists.
The Buckeyes' top two scoring defenseman are both drafted - sophomore Matt Bartkowski and junior Shane Sims. Bartkowski, a Florida Panthers draft pick, has four goals and 12 assists, and Sims is 5-10-15, leading all Buckeyes blueliners in goals.
Ohio State has struggled to find solid goaltending in the past few seasons. Sophomore Cal Heeter has a 3.18 goals-against average and .897 save percentage, and junior Dustin Carlson is 3-9-3, 2.78 and .911.
Carlson's numbers are clearly better, but he has started three less games than Heeter. Carlson started both games last week vs. Western Michigan, so Miami may see him twice this weekend.
Miami is 10-1-1 in its last 12 meeting with Ohio State, and 60-56-11 overall.
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