Coach Sean Hogan released Ohio’s 2018-19 schedule Wednesday, cementing some of the team’s final off-season preparations.
The Bobcats will make their first on-ice appearance Sept. 21 in their annual Green vs. White inter-squad scrimmage.
For the seventh year in a row, Ohio will host John Carroll as its weekend season opener. The Bobcats have compiled an 11-0-1 record against the Blue Streaks, which includes last season’s 6-0 and 9-3 wins.
Ohio’s schedule also features a geographical rivalry; a home-and-home with West Virginia. Only separated by roughly 149 miles, the Bobcats and Mountaineers will play in Morgantown on Oct. 5 and in Athens on Oct. 6 game in Bird Arena.
The Bobcats and the Mountaineers last played each other in 2014, where the teams split the home-and-home, each team winning at their respective home arenas.
Ohio’s non-conference schedule continues as it hosts Eastern Michigan. The Bobcats swept the Eagles in 2015. Other non-league opponents including: Davenport, Liberty, Pitt, Syracuse, Slippery Rock and Kent State.
Ohio will begin Central States Collegiate Hockey League play on the road in Ames, Iowa, when it plays Iowa State. The Bobcats and the Cyclones split the season series a year ago; each team went 1-1 on their home ice.
Ohio's CSCHL schedule will feature traditional league foes Robert Morris-Illinois, Illinois and Lindenwood. The Bobcats posted a 9-6-1 record against league opponents a year ago, including three consecutive losses to the Illini, two of which were post-season defeats.
Rounding out Ohio’s schedule is the annual CSCHL Playoffs with Lindenwood as this year’s host. The Bobcats were defeated by the Lions in last season’s tournament.
The American Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs have found a new home after being hosted in Columbus the past two seasons. The Dallas Stars organization will host this year’s tournament. First-round games begin March 21 and end with the championship on March 26.
“I am excited about the schedule and the chance to renew some of our historic rivalries,” Hogan said, “The CSCHL is always the toughest league in the nation, so to also have a competitive non-conference schedule makes each weekend important.”
Ohio finished No. 5 in the nation a year ago and returns some key players, including goalie Jimmy Thomas, forwards Cody Black, Gianni Evangelisti and Tyler Harkins, and defensemen Grant Hazel, Tom Pokorney and Shawn Baird.
