No. 8 Bobcats extend their winning streak to five games with 8-1 and 1-0 victories against the Dragons.
With fans standing along the boards at Bird Arena this weekend — two or three people deep in some areas, to accommodate for Dads Weekend — No. 8 Ohio put on a show in its sweep of Drexel.
The show was split into two acts, one for each game, and both ended the same but followed much different storylines to get there.
Friday’s 8-1 Ohio (13-2-1) victory was lopsided from the get-go; Saturday’s 1-0 win for Ohio wasn’t truly decided until the final buzzer.
LaFrenier nets a hat trick in Ohio’s blowout win
Mike LaFrenier sent a one-timer into the top left corner of Drexel’s net a mere 18 seconds into Friday’s game.
He helped make the next 58-plus minutes just as unpleasant for the Dragons, posting a hat trick to go with an assist in the Bobcats’ 8-1 blowout victory.
LaFrenier, a junior, is leading Ohio’s defenseman in scoring with seven goals and 14 points in 16 games. Before Friday’s outburst, however, he’d been held scoreless since Oct. 16.
“It’s funny, I don’t think he scored a goal his freshman year and he didn’t score a goal last year until the last series at home,” Ohio coach Sean Hogan said. “This year he’s on fire.”
LaFrenier’s effort was enough to lead Ohio to victory, but he got plenty help from teammates like Derek Rahme (two goals, one assist) and Matt Wipper (three assists).
“I think it’s great just to get back out at home and put up an eight-spot like that and just keep rolling from there,” LaFrenier said.
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Ohio squeaks by Drexel behind Bloomfield’s shutout
Only one shot beat junior goalie Jacob Bloomfield on Saturday.
But even then, it hit the post and didn’t enter his net.
Bloomfield, in just his second start for the Bobcats, made 27 saves to earn a 1-0 shutout victory.
On the other side of the ice, Ohio pounded the Drexel goalie with 54 shots, but struggled to score. It wasn’t until the final six minutes of play that Matt Rudin scored the game’s only goal on a redirect from Michael Harris.
“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever celebrated that much on the ice for a goal in a regular season game before,” Bloomfield said. “A lot of excitement.”
Bloomfield is the third-string goalie on a team that has proven to be strong at that position.
Regardless, he’s stopped 36 of 37 shots in his two starts and is 2-0. It’s a tiny sample size, but Hogan said he’s “going to get another opportunity.”
@JordanHorrobin
jh950614@ohio.edu
