Faceoff on the Lake

The Faceoff on the Lake was an outdoor college ice hockey game played on February 18, 2023, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland between longtime rivals the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State defeated Michigan 4–2 in a rematch of the Frozen Diamond Faceoff outdoor game between the teams in 2012. The game marked the first ice hockey game ever played at FirstEnergy Stadium, and the attendance, announced at 45,523 fans, set a record for an outdoor college hockey game held at a neutral site.^[1][2]

Faceoff on the Lake

1 2 3 Total Michigan 0 1 1 2 Ohio State 0 3 1 4
Date	February 18, 2023
Venue	FirstEnergy Stadium
City	Cleveland, Ohio
Attendance	45,523

Teams

The game was announced by the Haslam Sports Group on August 22, 2022, as the first outdoor ice hockey game held at FirstEnergy Stadium and the first outdoor ice hockey game in Cleveland since 2012.^[3] This was the 41st outdoor college hockey game in the modern era.^[4] Michigan and Ohio State had previously played an outdoor game in Cleveland at Progressive Field on January 15, 2012, when the Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes 4–1 in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff.^[5]

Michigan Wolverines

The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines entered the game with a record of 20–9–2, and a 12–8–1 record in conference play. This was the Wolverines ninth outdoor game in their history, the most of any college ice hockey team.^[6]

Ohio State Buckeyes

The No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes entered the game with a record of 17–11–3, and a 10–9–2 record in conference play. This was the Buckeyes fourth outdoor game in their history.^[7]

Game summary

February 18, 2023

Michigan Wolverines

2–4

Ohio State Buckeyes

FirstEnergy Stadium

Recap

The game was scoreless in the first period. Ohio State scored three goals in the second period, via goals by Cole McWard, a power play goal by Jake Wise and a shorthanded goal by Tyler Duke. Michigan finally got on the board late in the second via a goal by Gavin Brindley at 18:25. Michigan reduced Ohio State's lead to one goal via a goal by Eric Ciccolini at 8:46 in the third period. Ohio State responded with a goal by Stephen Halliday less than a minute later. The attendance of 45,523 was the largest in Ohio State history, surpassing the previous record of 45,021 set at the Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium on January 17, 2014.^[8]

Ohio State wore throwback jerseys featuring colors and numbers that resembled the Ohio State Buckeyes football team's jerseys of the early 1940s.^[9][10]

Scoring summary
Period	Team	Goal	Assist(s)	Time	Score
1st	No scoring
2nd	OSU	Cole McWard (4)	Joe Dunlap (8), Matt Cassidy (11)	14:21	1–0 OSU
	OSU	Jake Wise (11) (PP)	Travis Treloar (11), Stephen Halliday (25)	17:11	2–0 OSU
	MICH	Gavin Brindley (9)	Adam Fantilli (30)	18:25	2–1 OSU
	OSU	Tyler Duke (3) (SH)	Jake Wise (16)	19:10	3–1 OSU
3rd	MICH	Eric Ciccolini (6)	Jackson Hallum (9), Frank Nazar (1)	8:46	3–2 OSU
	OSU	Stephen Halliday (8) (PP)	Jake Wise (17), Mason Lohrei (22)	8:46	4–2 OSU

Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season^[11]

Penalty summary
Period	Team	Player	Penalty	Time	PIM
1st	OSU	Matt Cassidy	Hitting from behind	3:39	2:00
	OSU	Tyler Duke	Holding	8:37	2:00
	MICH	Steven Holtz	Hitting from behind	11:33	2:00
	MICH	Jackson Hallum	Tripping	14:05	2:00
	OSU	Joe Dunlap	Roughing	16:43	2:00
	MICH	Erik Portillo	Tripping	17:47	2:00
2nd	OSU	Jaedon Leslie	Slashing	4:53	2:00
	MICH	Gavin Brindley	Slashing	10:50	2:00
	MICH	Mackie Samoskevich	Cross-checking	16:37	2:00
	OSU	Mason Lohrei	Holding	18:55	2:00
3rd	OSU	Cole McWard	Tripping	1:10	2:00
	MICH	Nolan Moyle	Interference	9:06	2:00
	OSU	Michael Gildon	Tripping	12:15	2:00

Shots by period Team 1 2 3 Total Michigan 7 10 20 37 Ohio State 14 13 7 34

Power play opportunities Team Goals/Opportunities Michigan 0/7 Ohio State 2/6

Team rosters

Michigan # Player[11] Position 1 Erik Portillo G 2 Rutger McGroarty LW 4 Gavin Brindley RW 11 Mackie Samoskevich RW 13 T. J. Hughes C 19 Adam Fantilli C 20 Keaton Pehrson D 21 Jackson Hallum LW 22 Philippe Lapointe LW 24 Steven Holtz D 25 Dylan Duke LW 26 Seamus Casey D 27 Nolan Moyle RW 31 Noah West G 63 Luca Fantilli D 71 Nick Granowicz C 73 Ethan Edwards D 90 Jay Keranen D 91 Frank Nazar C 93 Eric Ciccolini RW 94 Mark Estapa LW Head coach: Brandon Naurato

Ohio State # Player[11] Position 2 James Marooney D 3 Cole McWard D 5 Tyler Duke D 6 Mason Lohrei D 8 Scooter Brickey D 11 Kamil Sadlocha C 13 Tate Singleton F 14 Dalton Messina F 15 Cam Thiesing C 18 Michael Gildon LW 19 Stephen Halliday C 20 Matt Cassidy RW 21 Joe Dunlap F 23 Davis Burnside F 26 Jaedon Leslie F 28 Jake Wise C 44 Jakub Dobeš G 65 C. J. Regula D 71 Patrick Guzzo LW 94 Travis Treloar C Head coach: Steve Rohlik

^ West served as reserve goaltender and did not see playing time.

Scratches

• Michigan Wolverines: Brendan Miles, Jacob Truscott, Tyler Shea, Kienan Draper, Luke Hughes, Johnny Druskinis
• Ohio State Buckeyes: John Larkin, Evan McIntyre, Dominic Vidoli, Mark Cheremeta, Gustaf Westlund, Ryan Snowden, Reilly Herbst

Officials

• Referees — Brian Aaron, David Marcotte
• Linesmen — Justin Cornell, Jake Davis

Television

The game was broadcast nationally by the Big Ten Network, and available online streaming via FuboTV.^[12]

See also

• List of outdoor ice hockey games