Ohio couldn’t finish how it started on Friday.
The Bobcats stayed in it for most of the game but ultimately lost to Liberty 4-1 in LaHaye Ice Center. It was only the Bobcats’ (10-7) second away game this season, but they handled it well until the third period. It was the first time Ohio truly hung around with a top 15 team this season, and doing so on the road is something to be proud of. Nonetheless, Ohio still suffered its seventh loss of the season.
Here are the numbers to know from Ohio’s loss to Liberty on Friday:
20
For about 20 minutes of play Friday, Ohio was in the lead. Although it was only up by one goal, the Bobcats had the luxury of playing ahead for the end of the first and most of the second period. It took almost a full period for either team to score, but Ohio struck first with less than four minutes left in the first period. It wasn’t until there was less than four minutes left in the second period that Liberty scored, tying the game. The Bobcats normally perform better than their opponent in games where they score first, but that was not the case Friday.
100
Senior Drew Magyar played the 100th game of his college career on Friday. Throughout all of his years at Ohio, Magyar has had a significant impact on the team, and it was felt against the Flames. Even though the game may not have ended the way he wanted it to, Magyar still put on a solid performance. He scored Ohio’s only goal, bringing him to a team-high 12 goals this season. It’s only fitting that he would score in a big career milestone after leading the team all season.
3
The third period is when Liberty really started to get away from Ohio. The Bobcats let the Flames score three times in the third period. Offensive spurts in the third period are something that Ohio has gotten used to executing, not putting up with. In its series against Western Michigan, Ohio scored eight goals between the third periods on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6. Ohio got a taste of its own medicine on Friday, fighting off goal after goal in the final period.
43
Despite giving up four goals Friday, goalie Max Karlenzig had 43 saves. Karlenzig was all over the ice in the beginning of the game, doing whatever he could to hold Liberty to zero goals. Liberty had a hard time breaking past Karlenzig for a while, and it looked like he was going to shut the Flames out for two full periods. Liberty was eventually able to put up goals, but Karlenzig held on for as long as he could.
6
Ohio finished with only six penalty minutes on Friday. John Mclaughlin, Aiden Grieco, and Spencer Schons all spent time in the penalty box, but it was still one of the lowest amounts of penalty minutes that Ohio has taken this season. Ohio knew that in order to stand a chance against Liberty, it could not allow power plays and give Liberty increased chances to score. Liberty still capitalized on the advantages Ohio gave it, scoring two of its goals on the power play.
