After early playoff exit last season, Bobcats desire to earn national recognition higher than ever
For most teams, a season like Ohio had last year would represent the apex of what a group could accomplish.
A 30-8-3 season and a trip to the American Collegiate Hockey Association tournament’s round of 16 sounds like a goal most teams would work toward, a finish most teams would consider themselves fortunate to have.
The Bobcats, however, are not most teams.
The win total of 30 is one they’ve achieved seven times in the program’s history, and twice in the last five years. With another 40+ game season on tap in 2014-15, that mark is very much within striking distance again. And that round of 16 loss from last season? Ask just about anyone in the locker room, and they’ll tell you it was too early.
Add in the fact that this team returns four of its top five scorers from a year ago, as well as its starting tournament goalie, and it becomes easy to see that this isn’t a team that just reached its peak; it’s still in search of it.
“We have a lot of senior leadership this season,” senior forward Nathan De La Torre said. “A lot of core guys are back who have been here all four years. I think we have more responsibility this year as seniors, and the guys in this group are really focused on leading these guys in the right direction and going through a successful season.”
Offensively, new coach Sean Hogan will look for his players to be aggressive in outworking and outcompeting its opponents in front, putting consistent pressure on moving the puck up the ice. While Ohio did lose its top scorer from a year ago in Brett Agnew, it does return a strong group of offensive leaders, including sophomore forward Patrick Spellacy (43 points in 2013-14), sophomore forward Joe Breslin (37), senior defender Mike Kretz (27) and junior forward Michael Harris (26).
Defensively, the Bobcats have the manpower to physically intimidate opponents and impose their will enough to help its offense. The team will also be strong inside the net, with sophomore Aaron Alkema (8-2 record in 2013-14, 2.24 goals against average) leading a fierce trio of goaltenders into the new campaign.
“We’re all good guys and we’re confident in our game,” Alkema said. “(The position battle) is good for us because it forces us to go out and practice hard every day so we can get that ice time on the weekends.”
The Bobcats will hit the ice for the first time Friday night, when John Carroll comes to town for a weekend series. It will be Hogan’s first game with the team, and will help set a tone for what this team looks like without its head coach and leading scorer from a season ago.
“I think we have a real hard working team, so I’m most excited about that,” Hogan said. “I think we’re capable of doing some pretty good things. Our goal is to be the most cohesive team in the nation, and if we improve every day, then we have a shot at doing something special.”
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