The Bobcats got their 2021-22 season started Saturday with their annual Green and White scrimmage. Green came away with a 4-2 shootout win in a game that was as exciting and dramatic as a scrimmage could be. It was Ohio’s first game in front of its fans in Bird Arena in almost two years.
Here are some key takeaways:
The kids are alright:
Ohio has a roster full of upperclassmen that have plenty of experience with the program, but it was the first-year players who stole the show in the scrimmage. Three of the four goals scored prior to the shootout were scored by players seeing their first action with the Bobcats.
Junior transfer Donny Tehan opened the scoring for Green in the first period, and it was a pair of freshmen who stepped up for White at the end of the game as they roared back from a 2-0 deficit.
Freshman Jack Mueller scored two goals within a span of 30 seconds as White tied the game just before a five-minute 3-on-3 ‘overtime’ period. Both goals were assisted by fellow freshman Philippe Angervil.
New head coach Lionel Mauron knows that the younger players on this roster will be able to help the team right away.
“They’re ready,” he said. “It’s a good step for them and it will give them confidence heading into the real games next week.”
The veterans are up to their old tricks:
Even though Ohio’s first-year players were impressive, it was the veterans who stepped up and made the biggest plays.
Senior forward Drew Magyar and junior forward JT Schimizzi, who were two of the Bobcats’ best players last year, led a dangerous Green offense, and each had multiple scoring chances before they combined to double Green’s advantage in the second period.
In the shootout, it was Magyar and junior defenseman Sam Turner who scored Green’s two goals. Magyar led it off by firing his shot through the legs of goaltender Matt Server, and Turner put Green on the brink of a win by flicking the puck over Server’s outstretched leg after taking it around him with a nice move.
The goalies give Ohio a solid baseline:
Goaltending was one of the Bobcats’ biggest strengths last year, with sophomores Server and Max Karlenzig playing the majority of the minutes and giving Ohio a consistent presence in net.
They were both excellent in the scrimmage, as Server kept Green at bay in the second period and Karlenzig stepped up and saved both of White’s shots in the shootout, but the other two goaltenders who saw minutes were impressive as well.
Senior Jackson Chilberg and freshman Mark Segalla played the entire first period and allowed just one goal between them.
The solid play of all four goaltenders gives Mauron some tough decisions, but that is a good problem to have for the first-year coach.
“All four of them can play,” Mauron said. “I guess that makes my life complicated. But for us, it’s great.”
The Bobcats kick off the regular season next weekend with a pair of games against John Carroll.
