Solidified at the goaltender position, the Ohio State men’s hockey team prepares for its final regular season series with rival Miami.

Two weeks ago, with just six games remaining in the season, coach John Markell sat down his top two goaltenders and told them they needed to step up.

“I told them I want to ride the hot goalie, and that’s what you need at this time of the year,” Markell said.

His message hit home with both goaltenders, Cal Heeter and Dustin Carlson, who have split time tending the net for the Buckeyes this season.

“It’s kind of tough hearing that because he pointed out we weren’t playing as well as we were at the beginning of the year,” Carlson said. “I think we both took it as a challenge and it really showed. The next week in practice we both were battling really hard.”

Carlson’s increased intensity on the ice, both in practice and in games, has earned him more ice time down the stretch.

“I knew I just had to step it up,” he said. “It’s an important time of the year and we’ve got to get our job done.”

Since the conversation with Markell, Carlson has been doing exactly that. The junior has started the last three games for the Buckeyes and is unbeaten in that stretch. That stretch is the longest consecutive start streak Carlson has had this season.

While both goalies say they prepare as if they’re going to start every game, it appears Carlson has developed a rhythm since starting on consecutive nights.

“I’m definitely happy I’m playing now,” Carlson said. “We had a great weekend last weekend. [Saturday night] my team pulled out for me, and in the shootout I pulled out for them.”

Two of the last three games the Buckeyes have tied and eventually won in shootouts. Neither Western Michigan or Alaska were able to score against Carlson in a combined nine attempts in the shootouts.

“Cal [Heeter] is working hard in practice but right now Dusty [Carlson] has responded like you’d think he would. He’s responding the right way and that’s what we need from a junior,” Markell said. “I think everyone knows you have to have good goaltending at this time of the year. There’s not a better time than right now for Dusty to be playing hard and Cal to be waiting for his chance.”

Carlson and the rest of the Buckeyes will be put to the test this weekend when they face No. 2 Miami in a home-and-home series. Markell expects the RedHawks to be amped up for the in-state rivalry.

“This is huge for them. Ohio State coming to town is big for them and their fans,” Markell said. “They’re a good hockey team. They’ve proved that throughout the nation. But that doesn’t mean we can’t play [the way we’re capable of playing] hockey and sustain that for 60 minutes.”

Miami comes into the series ranked No.2 in both the USA Today and USCHO polls, and deservingly so. The RedHawks are 20-2-4 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association this season and 23-5-6 overall.

“They have an explosive team,” Markell said. “They have depth, good defense, good specialty teams and their goaltending is good.”

Miami’s play has been especially dominant in the conference, including a series against OSU earlier this season. The RedHawks swept the Buckeyes on Dec. 11 and 12, winning 6-0 and 4-2.

However, no one on the Buckeye squad is fazed by facing Miami and are entering this weekend’s series looking for wins.

“We need points [heading into the post season]. We just have to get as many points as we can,” Carlson said. “History shows we don’t have the best record against them recently but we always play them strong. It’s our rivalry; they hate us and we hate them. We’re going to go in there with everything we’ve got.”

Friday’s game will be played in Oxford, Ohio and Saturday night’s finale will be at the Schottenstein Center. Both games face off at 8:05 p.m.