Ohio wanted a win more than anything else going into its second game against Adrian. It’s a talented team, but has been in a slump due to losing its first five games of the 2021 season.
Finally, the Bobcats got their first victory of the year with a 2-1 win over Adrian on Friday night at Bird Arena. Ohio (1-5) finishes a grueling four-game week on a positive note after it took a 8-4 beating from Adrian (8-1) Thursday night.
Here are some initial reactions to Ohio’s 2-1 win over Adrian:
Finally taking a lead
For the first time this season, the Bobcats finished the first period with a lead over their opponent. While the first period has proven to be the most inconsequential in Ohio’s previous five games, getting off to a quick start proved to be crucial in Ohio’s victory so that it could set a tone after the beating it took the previous night from Adrian. Ryan Higgins’s first period goal on a power play was also vital to the Bobcats’ victory.
Max Karlenzig is for real
After being pulled midway through the second period the previous game, Karlenzig came back with a full effort to steal the show in the third period. It was easy to lose count of how many of Adrian’s shots came inches away from going into Ohio’s net to tie the game up. Fortunately for the Bobcats, Karlenzig may as well have been a brick wall blocking the entire goal, because nothing was getting past him with Ohio’s lead on the line. If Ohio’s goaltenders play like that every time it has a lead late in the game, it won’t have to worry about blowing leads.
Better adjustments made
On Thursday, after Adrian and Ohio looked to be evenly matched in the first period, the Bulldogs made the right adjustments and scored six goals in the final two periods, knocking the Bobcats’ defense out of the water. Ohio coach Cole Bell had to match those adjustments Friday in order to beat Adrian, and he did so perfectly, making sure that his team kept the upper hand above the Bulldogs after the first period.
