The euphoria of last week’s overtime goal against Wisconsin was replaced by the firm satisfaction of a dominating performance over the best team in the Big Ten.

It was as big a win as Penn State has notched all season, and the victory came without the usual complement of agita for its head coach — and its fans.

On the road against Big Ten regular season champion Ohio State, Penn State forced the home crowd to resort to a “Let’s play football” chant by the middle of the third period, as the Nittany Lions cruised to a 5-1 victory to set up a date with Notre Dame in the Big Ten title game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There were no dramatics necessary.

Ohio State won the conference’s regular season title by a nine-point margin, and beat the Nittany Lions in three out of four regular season meetings.

But with the playoff anxiety well beyond them, Penn State played desperate. Ohio State did not.

“It helped us coming into this weekend,” defenseman Cole Hults said. “We were a little bit more calm and relaxed. A lot of guys didn’t know what Big Ten playoffs was like. It was nice for them to get a taste of it. So we came here, and I felt like we were more confident.”

And it showed.

Ohio State controlled the game’s first 10 minutes, but Liam Folkes — last weekend’s overtime hero — again scored a crucial goal against the run of play, after he was left alone out in front.

Penn State never got off the gas pedal from that point forward.

“Did you think it was going to be someone else?” Gadowsky remarked, sarcastically.

If you did, you haven’t been watching very closely.

That was Folkes’ 10th point of the playoffs in just four games.

Folkes and Alex Limoges, who broke the Penn State single-season goal record with his 23rd of the year as the clock expired in the first period, have thrown the Nittany Lions on their backs over this four-game postseason stretch.

But this was a 20-man effort. Penn State established its pace early and scored first against the Buckeyes for the first time this season.

It prevented the hosts from sitting back in a defensive structure that gave the Nittany Lions fits in the regular season. At that point, the game was won.

“Any time the game is high-tempo I think we feel comfortable,” Gadowsky said.

“We always [try to speed the game up],” he added. “It’s no secret. It’s what we do. Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it takes us a little while to get our feet under us. But I thought it was clicking pretty quick.”

The Nittany Lions don’t always succeed. Though the postseason tends to grant Penn State the advantage of a chaotic pace of play.

“I think it’s just a mentality thing,” Hults said.

Therein lies the difference for Penn State on any given night, not only in the playoffs.

Ohio State had several chances to swing the momentum in its favor.

The most notable of the bunch game after Ohio State captain Sasha Larocque took a game misconduct penalty for contact to the head, with Penn State leading 2-0.

On the ensuing five-minute power play, Penn State struggled to create any chances. Then disaster struck, as Ohio State’s Mason Jobst made a steal and skated out on a shorthanded breakaway.

Penn State goaltender Peyton Jones made a huge save, and Brandon Biro scored as the power play entered its final seconds to deprive the Buckeyes of a jolt of energy.

“That was just another example,” Gadowsky said. “I think they managed momentum pretty well.”

Nate Sucese scored twice thereafter, including an empty net goal. John Witala denied Jones his first shutout of the year, but the game was well in-hand by then.

Jones finished with 31 saves on 32 Buckeye shots. He came into the game with a .929 postseason save percentage that will only improve after he again displayed an affinity for showing up when the Nittany Lions need it most.

It’s a trait that has seemed to make its way around the Penn State dressing room.

Why?

“Desperate hockey is fun,” Limoges said.

The Nittany Lions will get at least one more chance to play it next Saturday in South Bend.