The 10 seniors on the Bobcats’ roster know what it’s like to lose in the CSCHL Tournament. They came up just short of capturing a championship in each of the last three seasons.
This year was no different.
Ohio lost the semifinal game of the CSCHL Tournament in heartbreaking fashion to Lindenwood, 3-2, in double overtime Saturday night.
“It was just two really good teams battling it out,” coach Sean Hogan said. “We still feel we’re the better team and we’ll figure it out here down the stretch (for the national tournament).”
The Bobcats carried a 2-1 lead into the third period, but were outshot 15-7 and gave up an equalizing breakaway goal to the Lions with just over a minute left in regulation. The goal came off a turnover.
Goals like that can be tough to bounce back from but the Bobcats responded well. They just missed chances.
After missing scoring chances in a back-and-forth first overtime period, Lindenwood capitalized on an open opportunity off a fortunate bounce and found the back of the net to win the game and send the Bobcats home from the tournament.
Not only did the Bobcats lose to Lindenwood, they have now lost three games in a row and four of their last five, which is territory they are unfamiliar with.
Last weekend, they were swept by Iowa State at home. The Cyclones finished as the national runner-up last season. Then this weekend, the Bobcats lost to Lindenwood, last season’s national champion.
Although Ohio has now missed the chance at championships in consecutive weeks (CSCHL regular season and tournament), Hogan is still confident in his team’s ability to achieve the ultimate goal and win a national championship. Competing with Iowa State and Lindenwood is what they’ll have to do in order to achieve that goal.
The Bobcats won’t just have to compete, though. They’ll need to win.
“You have to overcome adversity at some point,” Hogan said.
The key for the Bobcats success moving forward will be offense. The Bobcats have only scored four goals in their last three games.
If they can figure that out and piece together some scoring, the Bobcats' loss to Lindenwood might be the last loss the team has all season on its way to a national championship run.
