In a three-on-three drill Tuesday, senior forward Matt Hartman looked comfortable stickhandling toward the net and backhanding a shot past goalie Ryan Heltion.
But after practice, when Hartman took off the hockey glove on his left hand, he revealed a broken finger that gives him a jolt of pain up his arm whenever someone jams it or hits it.
Hartman is one of several Bobcats playing through pain heading into this weekend’s series between No. 5 Ohio (8-1-1) at No. 16 Liberty (7-1). The Bobcats and the Flames will play at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, Virginia.
“It’s part of the sport,” Ohio coach Sean Hogan said of his team’s aches and pains. “Part of that is having a mentality to play through it all. And we are. Our guys are tough.”
On Oct. 8 against Colorado, Hartman got hit in the hand with a one-timer from the blue line. As a result, he missed the following weekend’s two-game series against Robert Morris (Illinois).
Hartman, the team captain and one of its top-two centers, immediately felt the itch to get back on the ice with his team.
“I don’t think I’ve missed more than like one game since high school,” he said. “Sitting out two games, man, after that you’re just hitting the panic button.”
Donning a metal brace on his left hand to open this past weekend’s series against Jamestown, Hartman was ready to rejoin his team. But the brace broke on his first shift.
And although the doctor didn’t recommend playing without the brace, he told Hartman it would probably be okay as long as he kept his finger wrapped. Since then, Hartman has wrapped it in stretchy, black tape similar to PTEX Pro Wrap, with blue foam underneath for added cushion.
He registered an assist Saturday in Ohio’s 5-1 win. Now he’s in a routine of wrapping his finger for games and practices, taking the wrap off after, icing his hand, taking Advil and rewrapping in time for the next game or practice.
“It’s not terrible,” said Hartman, who had never broken a bone before. “It’s better than having a cast on.”
Other Bobcats are dealing with pain and injuries of their own and it may impact playing time this weekend.
Defenseman Jake Faiella has pain in his back, something Hogan said has “been with him for years.” Faiella and forward Austin Heakins both practiced with red no-contact jerseys this week.
Another defenseman, Mike LaFrenier, had not practiced this week through Wednesday and remains in concussion protocol — meaning he won’t be cleared until he is symptom-free for 24 hours — after taking a hit from behind in Saturday’s game against Jamestown.
Hogan didn’t officially rule anyone out for the weekend, but he said LaFrenier is likely going to miss time.
As for players who ponder playing when they are hurt or injured, Hartman said the choice is left up to them.
“If you don’t think you can play, then I trust you,” he said. “You don’t want to be a liability out there. If you think you can play and you can be an asset to the team, then we want you to be in there.”
