Home is where the heart is.
The Ohio (1-1) ice hockey team travels to Eastern Michigan (1-0) for a game tonight and one Saturday night. For captain and Michigan resident Jordan Levy, a senior, this is a familiar trip home.
I grew up playing at that rink
Levy said. My family and friends are going to be there. I grew up playing with some of those guys.
This will be Levy's, last series at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube as a Bobcat - and he wants to win.
Coach Dan Morris said he wants to keep Levy's emotions in check this weekend. Morris wants Levy to play in the moment.
We preach discipline over emotion Morris said. In hockey you can't let your emotions get the best of you.
Not only is this weekend's series important to Levy, but it is also a big series for his team.
Morris cannot remember ever sweeping the Eagles. He said that last season was the team's best trip to Ypsilanti, Mich. Ohio won the first game last year and tied the other, but eventually lost the second game in a shootout.
The American Collegiate Hockey Association rules games to be over after the five minute overtime period. However, Central States Collegiate Hockey League rules that teams should have a shootout if the overtime period does not determine a winner. The tie last year at Eastern Michigan was kept as a tie in Ohio's overall record, but was a loss in their CSCHL record.
A lot of people say they don't like hockey because they can go to a game and not see a winner
Morris said. With the shootout
there is always a winner and a loser.
The Bobcats, ranked third in the ACHA, have to learn from their mistakes of last weekend in order to win this weekend. The Eagles, ranked No. 13, are Ohio's first league opponents for this season.
It is a tall task because Michigan
as a state
is known for having a lot of hockey talent
Morris said. We are going to have to be mentally prepared to handle this tough series. We are two-time defending conference champs
and we want to win games
but this is going to be a tough first road trip
Morris said.
It is important that we get off to a good start in order to have a good season
