Friday and Saturday night featured the most recent installment of the Ohio and Penn State rivalry.
Ohio fans able to get tickets into a packed Bird Arena were not disappointed as the Bobcats (28-5-2) swept their series against the Icers with a 3-2 overtime win Friday and 3-1 victory Saturday.
Friday night's game was not resolved during three 20-minute periods. Penn State forward Lukas DeLorenzo scored the equalizing goal with 2:01 left in regulation to send the game into extra time.
The late goal should have given Penn State the momentum heading into the extra frame, but no one told that to Ohio forward Brandon Hanley.
Only 90 seconds into overtime Hanley gained possession of the puck and took it cross-ice before burying it through the Icers goalie's legs and into the net, securing the Bobcat victory.
I saw the five hole open at the last second
Hanley said. We shot high on (Penn State goalie Paul Mammola) all night so I had to look downstairs.
Friday might have been the more exciting game, but Saturday was the more impressive.
No. 3 Ohio has played their past four games without leading scorer Jim Fuhs. On Saturday night, they were also without forward Paul Warriner, who was out because offlu-like symptoms.
Warriner is currently third in scoring on the team, but has been a goal-scoring machine as of late.
Warriner had two goals on Friday night, while the goals on Saturday night came from Ryan Tessmer, Dave Fitzgerald and Clay LaBrosse.
The last American Collegiate Hockey Association poll placed Penn State (23-7-2) No. 1. The Icers have scored 51 power-play goals this season. Their coach, Joe Battista, said the power play is his team's bread and butter.
If you would have told me we were going to come in here and be 0-15 on the power play for the weekend I would have said
'No way
' Battista said. (Ohio's) two power-play goals were the difference in these games.
Battista, whose team was swept last weekend by No. 2 Rhode Island, was happy with how his team came out on Saturday night after losing the heartbreaker the night before.
I think we played better (Saturday night)
Battista said. We outshot them. This is your typical Ohio team. You have to give credit to them: they are aggressive and they play hard.
Ohio coach Dan Morris was pleased that he had six defensemen available in the lineup for killing the Bobcat penalties.
Last week
because of injury
we only had four defensemen out there killing penalties
Morris said. This weekend
all six defenseman - (John) Yasak
Jordan (Levy)
