Coach Sean Hogan walked into the locker room Friday, and his first thoughts were brief, yet poignant.
“Faced some adversity tonight.”
That was as well-put as anyone could have put it. It might not have shown on the scoreboard, with 6-1and 8-1 wins during Ohio’s sweep of Eastern Michigan, but the Bobcats faced their toughest test of the season. That’s until this week, however, against Iowa State with the first Central States Collegiate Hockey League series.
Through the first six games of the season, Ohio has outscored opponents by 50 goals. When teams get down, they start trying to hit a little harder. And just like anyone, when the other team starts hitting, Ohio hits back.
The Bobcats’ 50 penalty minutes isn’t the most they’ve had in one weekend — the opening series against John Carroll takes that title with 67. But Ohio found itself taking bad penalties and putting itself in bad spots, like on Saturday, when the Bobcats took three penalties within a 1:20 span: Bryan Lubin was called for holding; Jackson Chilberg was called for roughing; Jake Houston was called for a high stick.
“We got caught up emotionally again,” Hogan said. “Those are hard games to play … I think the guys did a pretty good job staying out of it for the most part.”
Staying out of the penalty box is something that Hogan has been trying to drill on the Bobcats. Currently ranked No. 4 in the country, the Bobcats sort of have a target on their backs. When they are dominating teams like they have been, games get rougher.
Hogan has been drilling an analogy into the minds of his team. He compares Ohio to a giant: Alabama football.
He compares his team to the reigning college football national champions in the aspect of taking penalties. Hogan talks about how the Crimson Tide will play a weaker opponent and win big — his favorite example is The Citadel. But, Hogan says the difference between Ohio and Alabama is penalties. He doesn’t need his team taking penalties when they’re up by a lot because that’s when they get in trouble.
Such as when Kyle Craddick received a fighting penalty in the second period when the Bobcats were up three goals. Craddick may have not been the investigator in the fight, but it’s like Hogan has repeatedly said: Ohio has to keep its emotions in check.
“One thing (Alabama doesn’t) do, is they don’t take dumb penalties, they don’t get upset,” Hogan said after his team’s 11-1 win over West Virginia on Oct. 6. “The process is there all the time. That’s what I want with our guys.”
The adversity the Bobcats have faced, however, should help them moving forward. With CSCHL play starting soon, facing stiffer competition beforehand is always welcomed by the Bobcats.
“We learned how to put the puck in net,” Cody Black said. “The first four games we scored over 10 goals, so we learned how to be a goal scoring team. That helps.”
