FAIRFIELD, Conn – The Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey team hits the road this weekend for a pair of games at No. 14/15 Ohio State. The Pioneers will battle the Buckeyes on Friday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. before meeting again on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Sacred Heart at No. 14/15 Ohio State
    Friday, Oct. 24 – 6:30 p.m.
    Saturday, Oct. 25 – 5:00 p.m.
Value City Arena -- Columbus, Ohio
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DEBUT TIME
Sacred Heart saw two players make their collegiate debuts against the Skyhawks, as first year goaltender Teagan Kendrick started and made 28 saves in 58:21. Fellow first year David Brandes appeared as an extra defenseman, tallying two shots.

FIRST OF THE YEAR
Both Reid Pabich and Cole Galata scored their first goals of the season against Stonehill on Saturday. Pabich's goal is his 14th with the team, while Galata has found the back of the net for a seventh time.

VS. THE BIG TEN
The Pioneers eye their second win over a Big Ten team in program history, as SHU defeated No. 5/6 Notre Dame on Oct. 19, 2017. The Pios claimed a 6-4 road win over the Fighting Irish, who would finish as runners-up in the 2017-18 NCAA Tournament. SHU has played 15 games against teams currently in the Big Ten, having met Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Minnesota in its history.

LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers suffered a 3-2 loss to Stonehill on Saturday in the team's 2025-26 home opener at the Martire Family Arena. After a back-and-forth start to the game, the Skyhawks scored twice in a 19-second span, building a 2-0 lead 6:15 into the first period. The Pioneers answered at 14:57 with a power play goal by Pabich to cut the deficit in half. The Pios ramped up the pressure in the second period, looking primed to tie the score, but a shorthanded goal by Stonehill in the last minute of the frame proved to be a backbreaker. SHU again cut the margin to one, 3-2, at 13:44 in the third on Galata's first of the year, but the Pios could not find the equalizer in the defeat. Despite taking the loss, SHU outshot the Skyhawks, 41-31. 
 
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
The No. 14/15 Buckeyes are 3-1-0 after four nonconference games, last splitting a road series at No. 12 UConn this past weekend. Ohio State fell in the first game by a 3-2 final score on Friday before recovering with a 4-2 win over the Huskies on Saturday. Before playing UConn, the Buckeyes opened the season with a sweep of Northern Michigan at home in Columbus, winning by a combined score of 8-3. Ohio State has played some of its best hockey at home recently, taking the first two games of the season at the Value City Arena, while also going 16-4-1 in Columbus last year. The Buckeyes' success this season has started on defense, as the team ranks eighth in scoring defense, allowing 2.00 goals per game. Leading the charge is junior goaltender Kristoffer Eberly, as he is 3-1-0 on the season with a .923 save percentage and a 2.01 goals against average. Ohio State has seen a balanced approach on offense, as the team has seen eight players score goals. Félix Caron, Riley Thompson and Max Montes lead the way with three goals each. 

ALL-TIME SERIES
The Pios will meet the Buckeyes for the third time ever on Friday evening. Ohio State took both ends of a weekend series in Columbus in November of 2004. The Buckeyes won 5-1 on Friday and 7-1 on Saturday, as the team was ranked No. 14 in the country. 

UP NEXT
Sacred Heart hits the road again next week, playing at Holy Cross on Thursday-Friday, Oct. 30-31. Both games of the Atlantic Hockey America series are slated to start at 7 p.m. at the Hart Center Rink in Worcester, Mass.