No. 3 Bobcats stage back-to-back comebacks on the road, but only convert one into a win against No. 8 Lindenwood
The best teams in the country typically have the ability to bury a team when they have them in an early hole.
This makes back-to-back comebacks by No. 3 Ohio against No. 8 Lindenwood after early 2-0 deficits all the more impressive and makes its series split on the road against its division rivals even harder to swallow.
Ohio (20-4-2) scored twice in the third period Saturday night to defeat the Lions 3-2 and clinch seven straight wins against the Central States Collegiate Hockey League’s top team. It battled back again Sunday, but allowed a game-winning goal with 1:15 left in regulation to fall to Lindenwood 3-2.
“We’re a mentally strong team,” coach Sean Hogan said. “I don’t think there was much difference between the games, we played a strong third period both nights. We just ended up short-handed thanks to a penalty in the final minute (Sunday) and (Lindenwood) capitalized.”
Lindenwood (11-9-2) began Saturday with a power play goal in the first period, and followed that up with another goal in the first minute of the second period to put Ohio down 2-0 early. Nearly twelve minutes later, the Bobcats got their first goal on a Liam Geither shot, cutting the deficit in half.
The third period was where the Bobcats shined on Saturday. With less than eight minutes to play, Nathan De La Torre scored a game-tying goal off a Paul Sergi assist. Soon after, Derek Rahme came back down the ice for the Bobcats to push the score to 3-2 in favor of Ohio. Goalie Aaron Alkema was able to hold the Lions at bay from that point forward and stopped a total of 24 of Lindenwood’s 26 shots in the game.
Despite a shot at claiming sole possession of the division lead with a win on Sunday, the Bobcats came out with a similarly slow start. The Lions got to Alkema quickly in the first period and then came through with another power play score in the second to go ahead 2-0 for the second straight game.
Then, a goal by Tyler Pecka sparked an offensive outburst from the Bobcats, who outshot Lindenwood 42-12 on Sunday. Just one more of those shots would sneak past the Lions’ goalie, as Patrick Spellacy found the net to tie the game at 2 in the third period.
Lindenwood’s power play goal late in the third period put the game on ice, and allowed the Lions to regain sole possession of first place in the CSCHL.
“On the road, it’s a special teams battle, and we lost that battle,” Michael Harris said. “We need to start scoring the way we did in the first half and start capitalizing on opportunities.”
Ohio will play the remainder of its CSCHL schedule at home, where it is 15-0 on the season. Iowa State visits Athens next weekend, with home series against Robert Morris and Illinois also resting in the near future. Ohio has played two fewer games against CSCHL opponents than Lindenwood, so winning out could still mean a division title.
“We couldn’t be more excited,” Harris said. “The fans really get us going and create the best kind of atmosphere, and we all appreciate it. I think the rest of the schedule is a perfect scenario for us.”
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