While most Ohio University students were sleeping this weekend, the Bobcats were busy winning their first two games in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament.
Ohio defeated Canton 3-0 Saturday morning and Oakland 6-2 yesterday morning to earn a spot in the ACHA semifinals and will face second-seeded Davenport tomorrow night.
Coming into the tournament, coach Dan Morris said defense and goaltending would be the two most important factors for the Bobcats. In its first two games, Ohio’s defense allowed only two goals on a combined 34 shots.
“We’re doing a good job blocking a lot of shots, and knowing where the shots are coming from,” Morris said. “Blake (MacNicol) has been playing great, and our guys have done a real good job of limiting opportunities.”
In Saturday morning’s opening-round game against Canton, the Bobcats scored in each of the three periods and held the Kangaroos to only 16 shots on goal.
John Pietramala, Jake Holzemer and Nick Rostek had the Ohio goals.
After going pointless the first two times the teams met this season, freshman Brett Agnew scored three goals in the win over Oakland yesterday.
Two goals in the first and another in the third gave Agnew his second hat trick of the season.
“It was a big game for him,” Morris said. “He had good opportunities and he made sure good results came from them.”
The Bobcats scored three goals in the first and three in the third to secure the 6-2 win.
Ohio had some players shaken up during the game.
John Luciana and Alex DiMassa were helped off the ice in the first period against Oakland. Luciana returned and contributed a goal and an assist.
Morris said he would know more about the injuries by practice time today.
“Everyone’s kind of banged up right now,” Morris said. “But we’ve got guys that haven’t played yet like Jeremy Browning and Zander Dover who have contributed throughout the year, so if we’ve got to make some changes, then we’ll make some changes.”
The Bobcats will return to action tomorrow night to face Davenport for a spot in the championship game. Ohio lost twice to Davenport Oct. 8 and 9.
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