The Ohio State University men’s hockey team is hoping to overcome the Wisconsin Badgers’ home ice advantage as the Buckeyes open Big Ten Tournament play with a best-of-three series at the Kohl Center in Madison this weekend.

Wisconsin (25-9-2 overall, 16-7-1, 2-2-1 B1G) enters the post-season event ranked number 5/6 in the nation and is the number two seed in the tournament. Ohio State (12-18-4 overall, 4-18-2, 1-0-2 B1G) enters the action as the seven seed.

“Come playoff time, it’s ‘Go time,’” offered Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik during the team’s recent media availability. “This is why you prepare. This is why you do all the summer work. This is why you go through what we’ve gone through all season, just to have a chance here.”

“There definitely a little more intensity in playoffs,” observed Ohio State defenseman, Mason Klee. “It’s the best time of the year. Everyone loves to be there.”

Ohio State has an opportunity to accomplish the upset as the Buckeyes swept the Badgers in a two-game series (3-2 OT, 3-1) in Columbus in mid-February.

“We played solid,” Rohlik declared when discussing the February series. “We didn’t give up a lot of chances. Certainly, that is how we have to play these guys. We know we have to be a lot better than we were when we played them. We know they’re going to be better and, obviously, it’s their home rink.”

Conversely, Wisconsin swept Ohio State (3-0, 6-1) in Madison in early December.

While discussing their underdog situation, Klee offered, “I think we match up well against them.”

“I think we’re a confident group,” added goaltender Logan Terness. Just in general. We’re always ready to go. Our coaches do a great job of pre-scouting for us.”

One source of that confidence may be that 22 of the 23 Buckeye skaters have gotten on the scoresheet this season, including 20 goal scorers. Ten have double-digit points while Stephen Halliday, Scooter Brickey, Davis Burnside and Theo Wallberg have each scored 20 or more points. Halliday leads the team with 33 points (10 G, 23 A).

Brickey is tied for second among NCAA defensemen with 12 goals this season and is the first Ohio State defenseman with 10 or more goals since Ryan Root accomplished the feat during the 1997-98 campaign.

While entering the weekend with confidence will aid the Buckeyes in their mission, Rohlik may have summed up the Buckeyes’ primary need in advancing to the semifinals, acknowledging, “We all just have to be the best version of us.”