Bird Arena was lit aflame by the Bobcats (2-1) as they made their return for the first game of the season.
After losing in the ACHA semifinals last year, Ohio had to prove that it was still the team to beat and that it did. Ohio took down West Virginia 7-3, led by rookies recruited in the offseason. Despite some early offensive struggles and shotty ice conditions, the Bobcats got it going in the third period and ultimately came out on top.
Head Coach Lionel Mauron was thrilled to see so many rookie goals
“It’s good to get it out of the way early, so they don’t have to worry about something like that. It can linger in your mind,“ Mauron said. "The new guys played a good game for the most part, so that’s exciting for us.”
The first period got off to an exciting start, with the newcomer Drake Albers scoring Ohio’s first goal just 1:30 in. That energy diminished as West Virginia fought right back with a goal of its own. The Mountaineers wasted no time in taking the lead, scoring yet another goal just under five minutes later.
The defensive traction seemed to be dwindling, but the Bobcats were able to hone some of their offensive skills and even out the score with a goal by rookie forward Noah Holt. Holt, a Brookville, Ohio native, said his teammates and being in the environment of Bird Arena helped him earn his first goal for the Bobcats.
“It was great to put one in the back of the net and then see your buddies even more pumped than you is the greatest feeling so,” Holt said.
Coach Mauron also discussed Holt being one of the stand-out players of the night.
“He played a very good game,“ Mauron said. "I think he plays with style and with a lot of speed and is really difficult to play against.”
Ohio headed into the second period looking to start up an offensive spark. However, it was stomped out by yet another goal from West Virginia, as it took the lead again. The Bobcats used that to fuel goals by another rookie, Donovan Burdette, and veteran player Andrew Wells. The Bobcats and the Mountaineers felt the brunt of the ice conditions in this period, as they struggled to move the puck up and down the ice.
“I think when there are a lot of people on the rink and we are early in the year, the ice is really soft and bumpy and it’s hard to make passes. That certainly didn’t help,” Mauron said.
Justin Damon’s defensive performance truly pulled the Bobcats through the struggle of the first two periods. Multiple showstopping saves allowed the Bobcats to keep their lead heading into the third.
“I think he’s one of the top goalies in the league," said Mauron. "He is very technically sound and we feel good when he is in the net.”
The third period was Ohio’s best. Forward Laker Aldridge was able to score two goals, supplemented by another from the senior Colin Felton. Combined with Justin Damon still holding down the goal, the Bobcats were able to come out with a victory. The high-energy environment in Bird helped the team get its momentum up and close out the game. Holt thinks they can truly rely on the fans for a boost.
“The environment here is crazy. We had a ton of fans tonight, they were rowdy and picked us up when we were kind of down,“ Holt said. "They picked us back up so we rely on them.”
The Bobcats are back at Bird Saturday night for their second game against the Mountaineers.
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