Coming off an exciting senior night win the night before, Ohio looked to continue its win streak as they took on Dayton in a Sunday afternoon game. The matchup was the second time the teams had played this season; Ohio dominated the first matchup with a 5-1 victory.
The Bobcats wasted no time showing the Flyers they meant business. Within the first two minutes of the game, Trent Johnson put an easy goal in the net to give the team an early lead.
While center Xander Danner was sent to the box for a tripping penalty only a few minutes later, Ohio did not let Dayton capitalize on the powerplay, with goalie Matthew Zazon making several big stops.
With less than 10 minutes to go in the first period, forward Nick Ventura made a huge save, got the puck out of Dayton territory and set up teammate Peyton Botich for the team's second goal of the day.
Less than 20 seconds later, Nick Coward was able to sink another one in the net for Ohio after a deflection from the Dayton goalie. With the Bobcats being up 3-0, Dayton knew it needed to do something to close the gap.
With 3:05 to go in the first, the Flyers were able to take advantage of a powerplay and scored, giving them a chance to stay in the game. However, Ohio answered back with less than a minute on the clock when winger Ryley Scanlon forced a turnover in Dayton territory and scored an unassisted goal to bring the score to 4-1.
The Bobcats, still energized from the first period, did not give the Flyers an easy comeback, as Danner scored on a long shot from teammate Joseph Folmer just before the halfway point. Botich also made sure to further the team's energy when he scored his second game goal only a few seconds later, with Folmer again providing an assist.
While the seniors and fifth-year players proved to be a force for Ohio during the game, the underclassmen did not lack in contribution. Centers Brennen Walker and Salvatore Poggiali rounded out the second period, each scoring a goal to give the Bobcats a comfortable 8-1 lead over the Flyers.
While the third period did not have as much scoring as the first two periods, it did not lack in plays. Ohio and Dayton traded possessions and penalties for the majority of the time, with the Flyers making every attempt to catch up to the Bobcats.
Dayton added a second goal with 7:42 left in the third period while Ohio was down two players to bring the gap a little closer, but it was futile as the Bobcats were already secure for the win.
To add to the already existing finish, Scanlon added his second goal of the game after hooking one in the corner of the net behind Dayton goalie Dominic Grimaldi to give the Bobcats a 9-2 finish.
Despite the Flyers' last-period goal, Zazon's efforts throughout the game contributed significantly to the Bobcats' win and the seven-goal margin between the teams. In addition to stellar goaltending, Ohio's forwards worked on offense and left little room for Dayton to contest.
The Bobcats will need to keep their energy high as they head into next week. The team will face Kentucky in a midnight puck drop in the Bluegrass State.
