After three consecutive weeks of playing at Bird Arena, the Ohio hockey team will travel to Youngstown for the American Collegiate Hockey Association showcase this weekend.
This year's ACHA showcase features 16 teams from all parts of the country, and the Bobcats will battle North Dakota State, West Chester and Minot State.
Ohio coach Dan Morris said the showcase gives the Bobcats a chance to play teams that they would not see normally, including a North Dakota State team that they used to play against in the early 1990s.
There were some good OU-North Dakota State battles over the years
he said. We actually have a losing record against the North Dakota State program so we would like to try to even that record out.
Each team plays a game on three consecutive days at the showcase. For the Bobcat players, this change is tough because they are used to playing only two games a weekend.
A lot of it is mental and you have to extend your preparation into Saturday night
center Jim Fuhs said. Having games away helps eliminate distractions that you would have if you were playing at Ohio.
Goaltender Ryan Baksh echoed Fuhs' statement and said that three games can be mentally wearing.
I don't see us having any problems the first two games
but in the third game we might be a little more fatigued
he said. (Minot State) is in the same boat as us
having to play on three straight days.
Morris said that he combats the long weekend by changing practice routines.
It's hard to keep athletes on edge all the time
he said. You have to give them a breather to get rejuvenated so they can be fired up when they need to be.
Friday night the Bobcats will play a North Dakota State team led by forward Nick Krebsbach, who played for team USA in the 2005 Winter World University Games.
He's an impact player that can hurt us if we cannot contain him
Morris said.
The Bobcats return to action Saturday night against a West Chester team they have never played. Ohio will wrap up their weekend on Sunday against Winot State, who they have faced once before, a 6-3 loss in a 2001 ACHA tournament consolation game.
Beginning with this weekend, the Bobcats will play a seven-game stretch on the road until they return home on Nov. 10.
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