Ohio’s club hockey team has outscored its opponents by a combined 27-4 margin and coasted to a perfect record through two weekends of play, so it’s easy to think the team hasn’t had much to sweat about in the season’s opening stages.
Take a trip into the Bobcat locker room after one of the daily practice sessions, and your nose is the first to pick up on an entirely different story.
The hockey team takes few breaks in working to improve whatever aspects of its game it sees fit. The players are typically allowed a day of rest each Sunday before heading back to the ice the following Monday afternoon for practice.
The drills covered in these practices range in length and intensity, but just as with most in-game situations, they challenge each player’s offensive and defensive skillsets all at once.
Freshman center Garrett Williams says that he likes odd man rush drills because they are a good preparation for the weekend.
“I’d have to say my favorite drill is the 3 on 0 to 3 on 1 to 3 on 2,” Williams said. “You get all aspects of each odd man rush in one drill, and it keeps you moving for a solid minute.”
While drills like this are the focal point of practice on most occasions, the Bobcats do their best to be ready for any situations they may be faced with.
Shootouts are an example of an infrequent situation that the Bobcats can’t overlook. While it’s rare for the team to encounter a shootout, the ability to handle them holds weight because they can be the difference between a win and loss in a close contest.
“They’re part of our game, winning or losing,” Ohio coach Dan Morris said. “We’ll maybe get into four or five shootouts a year ... they constitute some practice time.”
This attention to detail has helped carry the Bobcats to the 4-0 record they hold to this point. The work and determination of the team has paid off as the Bobcats have out-muscled the competition in just about every area.
Senior forward Nick Rostek says that the drills allow the team to stay fresh by correcting any mistakes that they have been making consistently.
“Overall the drills are to better ourselves individually or as a team in game situations,” Rostek said. “We need to be individually sharp, but also as a team, everyone needs to understand their role and be on the same page.”
jd202409@ohiou.edu
