Drew Magyar is a dedicated leader on the ice, and it showed on Thursday.
Magyar led Ohio in a much-needed win as it defeated Robert Morris 7-3 in Bird Arena. He was dominant all game, scoring three goals and completing Ohio’s second hat trick this season. Magyar scored once in every period, which allowed Ohio to be up by as many as five goals at a couple points throughout the game.
Magyar kicked off Ohio’s offense, scoring the first goal of the night. Magyar is already a confident player, but the strong start helped his confidence grow even more. His energy was contagious, spreading to his teammates and giving them the confidence they needed to score too.
“He's got a knack for scoring goals,” Ohio coach Lionel Mauron said. “So, when he’s confident like tonight he’s very dangerous, and it's a huge impact on our team.”
Magyar scored another goal in the second period, and he didn’t take long to score in the third. It only took 10 seconds for Magyar to send the puck into the net in the third period and earn one of the greatest achievements you can get in a game.
Magyar was Ohio’s leading scorer last season, scoring 12 goals in 19 games. So far this season, Magyar is tied for the lead with nine goals, and there is still a lot of hockey yet to be played.
Mauron said Magyar has been working hard on his own skills at practice, and he is glad to see the work Magyar has been putting in pay off. Magyar has also been working hard with the team after the Bobcats tallied three straight losses over the last two weeks.
“He's done a lot of work this week after a couple of tough games to bring everybody on the same page and make sure we can move forward,“ Mauron said. “So I think when you do the right thing you're rewarded, and he was with three goals.”
Being a senior, Magyar is a veteran and a mentor for his teammates. When he was a freshman, Magyar had a group of seniors who paved the way for him and taught him a lot about the game of hockey and life in general. Now, Magyar wants to be that same guide for his younger teammates in hopes that they use the skills he taught them even after he graduates.
“I’m kind of just taking that role now as a senior and as a captain,“ Magyar said. “I’m trying to do that for the younger guys, and making sure that if anyone has a question or anything, not to be afraid to come to us and just kind of try to relay my knowledge throughout the rest of the team.”
Magyar’s leadership does not go unnoticed. Mauron sees what Magyar does for the team, and is proud of the senior forward.
“He's very vocal,“ Mauron said. “He talks all the time, and he's really smart about what he's saying. I think he's able to pull the guys in the right direction.”
