'This is my life': Steve Rohlik returns home to lead Ohio State in Frozen Four

Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik at 49 is the youngest of the four head coaches at the Frozen Four in St. Paul, but he can probably claim the longest and strongest ties to hockey in St. Paul.

The St. Paul native grew up playing youth hockey in the St. Paul Johnson association with Steve “Moose” Younghans. He played high school hockey at Hill-Murray on teams that routinely made trips to the state tournament during the 1980s, and Rohlik twice lost in the state title game to Burnsville in 1985 and 1986 at the St. Paul Civic Center. He went on to play college hockey at Wisconsin, winning the WCHA Playoff MVP and championship in 1990 at the St. Paul Civic Center, and finished his collegiate playing career with an NCAA title, but that was at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

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Rohlik then went from being a captain on the ice to a coach on the bench for Hill-Murray between 1992 and 1997, where the Pioneers made two trips to the state tourney in five years, both at the St. Paul Civic Center.

“(St. Paul), this is my life. I was fortunate my dad worked at Hill-Murray High School for 25 years. I just remembered from the time I could walk — I was here. I was here every state tournament, I was at the old auditorium watching Phil Housley play as a high school kid,” Rohlik said.

“This was a dream, it was like a playground for me. Being able to come down here and play as a Hill-Murray player, coach as a Hill-Murray coach, play as a college player, coach as a college coach … it’s just lots of memories, lot of history, it’s a big part of my life.”

?Back to the #FrozenFour for the first time in 20 years, the Buckeyes have their eyes on the prize ?.

? ?? #GoBucks

— Ohio State M Hockey (@OhioState_MHKY) April 4, 2018

The Buckeyes coach has a chance to make a little more history this weekend when his No. 5 (26-9-5) team plays No. 11 Minnesota Duluth (23-16-3) Thursday night in Ohio State’s second ever Frozen Four appearance and first since 1988. Rohlik guided his team to the tournament last year with a high-scoring offense that averaged 3.92 goals per game, ranked third in the NCAA. This year they’ve scored a little less at 3.25 goals per game, but they have cut down their goals against from 2.90 to 2.08 goals per game, good for third in the NCAA.

Ohio State captain Mason Jobst said the team made a few system changes this season.

“We're used to scoring five or six goals a night last season … but you can't do it every night,” the junior forward said. “So, we've changed to a five-man system on defense. We all really believe in that, and that it will lead to offense.”

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Notre Dame’s head coach Jeff Jackson said Ohio State is certainly one of the hardest teams they’ve played against all season, noting the Buckeyes are a very good transition team because they defend so well.

“(Ohio State and Michigan) both play a very similar system to us in the neutral zone — we've played that system for a long time. (Michigan head coach) Mel (Pearson) plays it a little different than Steve,” Jackson said. “Steve plays it very similar to us in a big way. It's more of a 1-3-1 or 1-1-3, depending on how you look at it. It's about protecting the guts of the ice. … They're good at controlling the middle of the ice defensively, and that's how you generally have success on transition as well.”

While the Buckeyes’ transition game has shown tremendous growth over this season, Rohlik’s transition from high school coach to 2018's Big Ten Coach of the Year took a lot longer. It all started when the assistant coach who recruited Rohlik to Madison, Mike Kemp, picked his two-time Badger captain to help start a Division I program at Nebraska-Omaha in 1997.

“You’ve got to pinch yourself sometimes. I’m the luckiest guy in the world coaching hockey 27 years, truly blessed every day. I mean, Steve ‘Moose’ Younghans, having a chance to be with him at St. Paul Johnson growing up, getting taught the ways of life and how to compete. (Former Hill-Murray coach) Terry Skrypek, all he did was win, and having a chance to play with him. Herb Brooks coached us on an all-star team. (former Wisconsin head coach) Jeff Sauer was from this area, and to play for him. You’re talking about mentors,” Rohlik said.

“Mike Kemp recruited me as a player, he turns around years later, he hires me, he gives me my chance in college as a coach — I had just coached high school. This game has been so good to me, I’m just so blessed to be around so many great people in this game. Obviously this city has been a big part of that.”

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If Rohlik wants to add to this story, he’ll also have to do it against Minnesota Duluth head coach Scott Sandelin, who hired him away from Nebraska-Omaha, and against a team with whom he spent 10 years as an assistant coach. Sandelin said Rohlik did a great job recruiting during his time with the Bulldogs and added a fiery and passionate element element to the program. Contributions that helped the Bulldogs win their first NCAA title in 2011 at the last Frozen Four to be held at Xcel Energy Center, although that season was Rohlik’s first at Ohio State as an associate head coach.

Rohlik spent three years coaching with his former college teammate and roommate Mark Osiecki until the administration decided to make a change and elevated Rohlik to head coach. Taking advantage of running his own program, he’s built a roster that’s relentless, fast, can skate and has now embraced the defensive side of the game.

And it’s a journey that all started with a leap of faith by Kemp.

“He knew what kind of person I was. I mean he could have took anybody in the country, this was his gig, he’s got to build a brand new program,” Rohlik said. “I think one, he had (former assistant and current Boston University head coach) David Quinn on board, who was doing it a while, and gave me my chance, because I think he knew at the end of the day, surround yourself with good people, good things happen, and he gave me that chance. I was just truly lucky to get that opportunity — the stars were aligned.”

(Top image: Steve Rohlik addresses his Ohio State team before a Wednesday practice. Credit: Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP)