Ohio coach Dan Morris said that with 15 new players on the roster last season, he was unsure what to expect, but the Bobcats turned the unexpected into a typical season by the conclusion of the year.
Despite bowing out in the semifinals of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament, the Bobcats won the Central States Collegiate Hockey League’s Tournament. The conference title was the team’s third in five years and eighth overall.
Ohio finished the 2012-13 season ranked fourth in the nation and never dropped out of the top 10of the ACHA rankings.
“I think when you weigh it out with our 15 new players, we overachieved,” Morris said. “There’s no doubt our expectations for our team were high, but we didn’t expect them to progress as quickly as they did. It’s a credit to their work ethic, their makeup and character.”
Morris also stressed that recharging the players’batteries is crucial for the start of the season.
“I think guys are motivated in the offseason thinking about those things (goals), but I don’t know necessarily if you can have them,” Morris said. “Our season is so long, you need to have some time where you don’t think about it because it wears on you pretty heavy.”
The Bobcats’ first game is not until Sept. 20 against John Carroll, but players take advantage of the offseason notonly to rest, but alsotoparticipate in organized games and skates. They also partake in a unified strength-training regimen.
There are reasons for optimism again this year forOhio, which returns its entire back line, as well as three of its top five scorers from last season in senior forward Brett Agnew and sophomore centers Michael Harris and JD Howard.
Agnew characterized the Bobcats’ back line as one of the best in the conference last season. A trio of senior defensemen, including Duncan Green, JC Gulch and Paul Sergi, will anchor that line this year.
Gulch said the back line’s continuity would be a huge boost starting off the season.
“It’s like music to our ears we’re not losing anybody,” Gulch said. “It makes it a hundred times easier to have everyone staying with their defensive partner.”
Ohio will, however, have to deal with the departure of four seniors, includingteamcaptain Tyler Pilmore,who was key to the team’s success.
“You’re not going to be able to replace those types of guys,” Agnew said. “They were our leaders last year and this year it shouldn’t be too hard to have guys replace them, but we’re going to have to have guys step up into bigger leadership roles this year and bigger roles on the ice.”
mk277809@ohiou.edu
