Led by a new head coach, Ohio is looking to hang another American Collegiate Hockey Association National Championship banner at Bird Arena.
The Bobcats ended their previous season with a 5-1 loss to Minot State in the semifinals of the national tournament, and the team, led by first-year head coach Jonathon Sheridan, hopes their experience will help them prevail.
With 21 returning players, the experience will be heavily relied on.
“We’re loaded with guys from last year, and the experience with them winning the (Central States Collegiate Hockey League) Tournament and going to the national tournament is big,” said Sheridan, who was a graduate assistant for Ohio last season. “I definitely want to put another banner up for the CSCHL Tournament, but I think everyone is looking forward to the national tournament. Coming from my playing days that’s always been my goal.”
The team has 23 home games on its schedule and will participate in the ACHA Showcase Oct. 11 to 13.
Players are already circling dates on the calendar.
“Everybody is looking forward to Liberty (University),” said sophomore forward Derek Rahme. “Last year they gave us our first loss, and they might have celebrated a little bit too much right in front of our faces, but we got a little retribution down at nationals, and that’s the best way to beat them. I can’t wait to fill up these stands so they know what we’re all about.”
Liberty — which Ohio will play in its fourth and fifth games — is an opponent junior forward Nathan De La Torre is looking forward to as well.
“We were No. 1 in the nation at the time, and we ended up losing the second game to them before we beat them at the national tournament, so I think that game at home is going to be interesting,” De La Torre said. “There is no love lost there.”
He added that Minot State and Lindenwood University are trips the Bobcats are looking forward to as well.
The only date Sheridan has circled on his calendar is Sept. 20 — the Bobcats’ first game.
“It’s the biggest game,” Sheridan said. “Not only is it the first of the year, but my first as a head coach.”
In addition to the returning cast, new recruits are being trusted with contributing right off the bat, in some cases, even starting on Sept. 20.
“One is (defenseman) Graham Harwood — he lit it up in tryouts,” Sheridan said. “We’ve got big expectations for him. He’s a little rough around the edges, so there’s polishing to do, but I think he’s going to make a pretty big impact on our team. A lot of the guys we have coming in are going to impact (us) right away, if not in the games then in practice where they will be pushing the guys hard, fighting for those extra spots.”
The players have enjoyed fighting for those spots under Sheridan’s guidance.
“He’s a buddy, so everybody wants to play for Sheri,” Rahme said. “He doesn’t have to yell. The leaders have definitely taken over, so practices are hard.”
Sheridan has been pushing the team hard during practices but hasn’t been hammering home his system at this point in the season.
“You don’t just want to start jamming systems down the new guys’ head from the start, especially with Sheri being the new coach,” Rahme said. “The system comes throughout the year. I think we have the talent and willpower that the first few weeks we will be able to work hard and pull out a couple Ws.”
De La Torre thinks Sheridan learned a lot during his year as an assistant to former coach Dan Morris’ staff last season and that the veterans will help make the transition as smooth as possible.
“There are some fresh faces, but there’s also some old faces that are able to take some of the newer guys under our wing and show them what Ohio hockey is all about,” De La Torre said.
Those around the team know the hard work is for the ultimate goal, Rahme said.
“National Championship.”
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