The Ohio State Buckeyes pay a rare visit to the University of Denver and Magness Arena on Friday night for the second game of the Ice Breaker Tournament. Air Force plays No. 5 Boston College in the first game at 4:30 p.m.

Here is a closer look at No. 3 DU’s game vs. Ohio State

Face-off: 7:35 p.m.

TV/Radio: Altitude/104.3 FM

Series history: DU leads 6-4

Tournament history: This is DU’s third appearance in the Ice Breaker Tournament, an event they won in 1999 at Magness Arena. They also played in the 2006 event at Miami, which Vermont won.

Last season’s records: Ohio State was 14-18-4, while Denver went 25-10-6

Offense

The Buckeyes bring a deep and balanced attack to Magness Arena. They are led by senior captain Nick Schikey, who had a team-high 41 points (12^th most by a returning NCAA Division I player) and 19 goals. Fellow senior forward David Gust added 36 points (11 goals), junior Matthew Weis had 32 points (11) and sophomore Mason Jobst chipped in 30 points (12). Two senior assistant captains, Josh Healey (21 points) and Drew Brevig (19) lead the charge from the blue line. … OSU has two freshmen forwards who were among the top eight scorers in the USHL last season. Tanner Laczynski (a sixth-round pick of Philadelphia in the NHL Entry Draft in June) was fourth in the USHL with 63 points (24 goals) while Sam McCormick was eight with 57 points (32 goals). They bolster a Buckeyes offense that averaged 3.56 goals on 33.2 shots per game a season ago.

The Pioneers scored 3.26 goals per game a season ago and lost two thirds of their vaunted Pacific Rim Line to pro hockey in addition to top-six standout Quentin Shore. They’re counting on a pair of freshmen – center Henrik Borgstrom (first-round pick of Florida) and wing Liam Finlay – to supplement sophomores Dylan Gambrell (second-round pick by San Jose), Troy Terry (2015 Anaheim draft pick) and Jarid Lukosevicious in the top six. Gambrell’s 47 points are the second most among returning D-I players, while Terry emerged down the stretch and finished with 22 points. Senior captain Will Butcher (32 points) anchors a deep and talented defense core.

Advantage: Slight to OSU

Defense

The Buckeyes return two senior goaltenders, neither of whom distinguished themselves a season ago. Christian Frey had a 9-11-3 record with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Matt Tomkins went 5-7-1, 3.87 and .888. OSU allowed 3.39 goals per game.

The Pioneers gave up just 2.28 goals per game a season ago and return two excellent netminders in Tanner Jaillet (pictured) and Evan Cowley. Jaillet, a junior, emerged as the starter in the second half and went 17-5-5 with a 2.27 gaa and a .922 save percentage. Cowley, a senior, was 8-5-1 with a 2.07 and a .929. Jaillet will start Friday night. The duo has an excellent D core in front of them.

Advantage: Big to DU

Special teams

The Buckeyes’ power play was effective a year ago (21 percent) and most of the cast of characters returns. They killed off 81.5 percent of the penalties they took. Their combined percentages of 102.5 is considered strong.

The Pioneers’ power play was up and down a season, finishing at 18.4 percent, but the penalty was strong much of the season, ending at 82.1 percent. Their combined percentage was 100.5, which also is above average. Both units looked outstanding in DU’s exhibition victory over Mount Royal last weekend.

Neither team takes an inordinate amount of penalties.

Advantage: Even

Intangibles

The Pioneers have not lost a home opener under coach Jim Montgomery, beating Merrimack (1-0) in 2013, RPI (3-0) in 2014 and Air Force (3-1) last year. … OSU was 4-10-2 on the road last season

The final word

Don’t let Ohio State’s fourth-place finish in the Big Ten fool you. The Buckeyes are skilled and capable of scoring in bunches. It’s hard to see a track meet happening with DU’s strength on defense and in goal, but if it does it will be interesting to see how the Pioneers’ young players who are being counted on to provide offense respond.

@MagnessMayhem