Ohio is set to begin a six-game home stand this weekend when Robert Morris comes to Bird Arena.
Every team must juggle big picture goals with immediate needs at some point in the season, but few face them both on the level the Bobcats will this weekend.
Ohio (24-4-2) will host Robert Morris this weekend with the task of maintaining its one-point lead in the Central States Collegiate Hockey League. The Bobcats split their series at Robert Morris in October with a 3-0 win and then a 3-2 shootout loss.
This weekend will be the first of three straight home series to close out the season for Ohio. It will also be the first of three weekends the Bobcats must play without leading scorers Michael Harris and Joe Breslin (35 points each), defenseman Tyler Benson and coach Sean Hogan.
Coaching the team in Hogan’s absence will be offensive assistant David Nies and defensive assistant Kyle Schussler, who will act together as associate head coaches.
“We’re gonna need to have some guys step up that may have played a little bit of a lesser role so far,” goalie Aaron Alkema said. “It’s gonna come down to a team effort. No one guy is going to be able to make the difference.”
As Ohio looks for new guys to step up and fill big scoring shoes, it’s fortunate to have a couple guys riding hot streaks into the weekend.
Matthew Hartman is coming off a four-point weekend against Liberty, and has a total of seven points in six games since returning from break after scoring 14 in his first 24 games. Meanwhile, Tom Whetsel has scored a point in five straight games, and just became the seventh Bobcat to hit 20 points on the season last weekend.
“We’re gonna be losing a couple natural goal-scorers, but that just means we’re going to have to work harder,” Nies said. “We just need to do what we always do; get pucks on the net, drive the net, stomp on the net, and finish when we get the opportunity. I think a lot of people will be surprised with our forwards this weekend.”
Robert Morris’ offense won’t scare the Bobcats much after the first series against the Eagles. Alkema delivered a shutout for Ohio in its first game at Robert Morris, and the sophomore gave up just two goals in a total of 125 minutes in net in the series.
Alkema’s five most recent appearances have included two losses and goals against average of 3.04, after beginning his season with a 0.84 goals against average in his first 11 games. Fellow goalie Ryan Heltion, meanwhile, has held onto a 1.04 GAA in 10 games.
Robert Morris will be tasked with doing what no other team has been able to do this weekend, and that is taking down the Bobcats at Bird Arena. Ohio has built a 17-0-0 record in home games, scoring a total of 89 goals in those games and allowing just 13.
While the Bobcats, who are sticking around, have the big picture goal of staying a step ahead in the league in their minds, The team must first prove that it can keep from skipping a beat without three of its stars and a head coach. It isn’t an easy mission, but it’s one that Ohio remains optimistic and positive about.
“One of the reasons we’ve been as successful as we are is the depth that we have,” Schussler said. “While we’ll really miss those guys overseas, I think the guys here will do a great job of stepping up and showing initiative. It’s an exciting opportunity for a lot of us and we’re looking forward to it.”
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