Bobcats face nation’s top scorer in final road series of regular season
The stage is set for a good old-fashioned offense versus defense showdown.
When Liberty (18-8-4) hosts Ohio this weekend, the nation’s leading scorer will go head-to-head with the nation’s stingiest defensive unit.
The Flames’ Luke Hannon leads the American Collegiate Hockey Association in goals (32) and points (65) through 28 games played. He’s the leader of a Liberty offense that features five players who are averaging a point-per-game or better this season.
Ohio coach Sean Hogan is well aware of Hannon’s success, but isn’t letting that change his defensive mindset.
“We basically just stick to our game plan,” Hogan said, extinguishing any suggestion that Hannon would alter the Bobcats’ strategy. “We’re not going to have anybody just shadow (Hannon) or anything like that. We don’t try to turn it into a one-on-one game.”
The Bobcats have had very few problems defending their own net this year. In 28 games, Ohio (22-4-2) has been scored on an ACHA-low 36 times. The Bobcats were ranked fifth in the most recent ACHA rankings and this week’s will be released Friday.
If anyone has faith in Ohio’s defense, it’s the Bobcats’ forward Michael Harris. The Bobcats’ leading scorer appears to have no doubt in his mind that his team’s defense will overcome Liberty’s offensive prowess.
“We have the best defense in the league,” Harris said. “And we’ll shut down anybody, any offense, any player.”
One issue that the Bobcats have faced this season is the difficulty of winning on the road. Despite having a perfect 17-0 record at Bird Arena, Ohio has struggled to a 5-4-2 record in opposing rinks. In five road series this season, the Bobcats have failed to sweep a team.
“That’s been a big focal point for us all year is how we haven’t swept on the road yet,” said Harris. “That’s normally not that big of an issue for us, but this is our last chance to sweep on the road before (the Central States Collegiate Hockey League tournament) and then nationals.”
Harris pointed out that since the playoffs are a single-elimination format and the Bobcats aren’t hosting the playoffs, winning away games is a must.
Hogan explained that going on the road is challenging because games are played on the same day that the players travel. A bus ride to Liberty of over five hours awaits the Bobcats on Friday, after which they’ll have just hours to prepare for their game.
Although Ohio has three weeks left on its regular season schedule, this will be the last series before the playoffs for Hogan and a few of the players due to obligations with Team USA at the World University Games. Hogan admitted the absence from Ohio will be a bit frustrating, but that the team will be in great hands with the assistant coaches David Nies and Kyle Schussler.
Nonetheless, finishing out his portion of the season is important to the head coach.
“Yeah we want to obviously do well,” Hogan said. “When we head off we want to be heading off on a strong note.”
@JordanHorrobin
jh950614@ohio.edu
