Ohio embarks on its second road trip this weekend to face the Delaware Blue Hens.
Delaware (4-0) opened the season by sweeping two straight weekend series, netting 19 goals. Forwards Kevin Miller and Andre Menard each scored five goals in the team's first four games.
The Blue Hens will play their first home games of the season against the Bobcats (8-1).
Both are ranked in the American Collegiate Hockey Association's top five. The teams had similar results last year and play similar styles.
They didn't have the national tournament outcome that they wanted last year
Ohio coach Dan Morris said. (There are) a lot of factors that are similar between the two teams. It'll be an interesting weekend.
In addition, both teams have a balance of experience and youth that yields fast-paced hockey with solid defense.
The Bobcats enter the weekend coming off a two-game split with Penn State. Ohio took the opener last Friday before dropping the finale. The Icers scored as time expired in overtime on a broken play, something Morris hopes doesn't become a trend.
We played good Friday but we can't make fatal errors in close games Morris said.
The team is playing well as a whole, he said, and making in-game adjustments will keep his group competitive.
The Bobcats will also have to adjust to Delaware's rink. Fred Rust Arena houses an Olympic-sized rink that is larger than Bird Arena's playing surface.
Rink size is always an adjustment
Morris said. Our team likes to skate
likes to move.
Morris and his staff have stressed team defense and trust that the offensive production will be sufficient to win games.
(Offensive production) comes and fades
Morris said. We take whatever teams give us. When someone is not producing
you expect another player to step up.
The Bobcats have also added another coach to their staff. Veteran goaltender Chris Carlson, a senior from Chicago, has joined Morris and assistant coach J.J. Plutt behind the bench after determining he would be unable to return to the ice until mid-February.
Carlson underwent knee surgery over the summer and was progressing towards recovery until a recent setback. Rather than opting for additional surgery, Carlson hung up his skates.
He'll work a lot with the goalies
of course
Morris said. It's nice to have an additional assistant out of nowhere.
Though the Bobcats are one of the top-ranked teams in the league, Morris does not think the team's ranking incites additional competition from opponents.
Just putting an Ohio University jersey on puts a target on your back
he said.
