On a team that’s dealt with more than its fair share of injuries during the first six weeks of the season, one in particular took the roar out of Ohio.
When first-line winger Nick Rostek went down with a right ankle injury Oct. 8, he was not the only one who suffered. Michael Schultz and Tyler Pilmore, his linemates and the team’s top two scorers, went without part of their three-headed monster as Ohio went just 1-3 in Rostek’s absence, scoring a total of five goals in the three losses.
The magnitude of the winger’s return to the trio this past weekend was evident immediately. The line accounted for eight of nine goals in the Bobcats’ two wins against Davenport as the team went a perfect 3-0, also beating Oakland.
“Nick’s a great player; having him back was a big boost for our line,” Pilmore said. “When he came back, there was a little injection there, the puck movement was a lot better and we played really well.”
This is the second season the unit has played together on Ohio’s first line, with Schultz, Pilmore and Rostek, respectively, having topped the team in points last year. The chemistry that the three have built was hard for any other player on the roster to replicate during Rostek’s time out.
“We got Nick back at the right time. Other guys played well there (in his absence), but Nick is just really in sync,” coach Dan Morris said. “They were a handful Friday and Saturday.”
Having a reliable scoring line is a pleasant luxury for any hockey team, but Morris said it can also create problematic overreliance. If the team becomes too dependent on its big three to put the puck in the net, the other lines can go from secondary scorers to supporting cast.
“It’s an odd thing, but the other lines may think, ‘O.K., they’re scoring, we don’t necessarily have to, let’s just get the puck out of the zone,’ ” he said. “Given the opportunity, you want to make sure you’re getting scoring from your other lines.”
A Time to Heal
After the long three-game weekend, Morris made the uncommon decision to give his beaten-up team both Monday and Tuesday off.
Because of injuries, only 18 players were available to travel on the road trip — three fewer than Ohio usually travels with — allowing the coach only three forward lines instead of the normal four. That, coupled with the fact that the team returned from Michigan late Sunday night, made the decision straightforward.
“It’s a rare thing for me, but I’ve never been in a position where we’ve had only 18 available players,” Morris said of the two days off.
“We’re beaten up so bad that practicing would be counter-productive. And the guys appreciate that. They worked hard, and they deserve the days off.”
One player in particular who appreciated the time to heal is Pilmore, who shook off a broken finger and dislocated shoulder over the weekend to play the full 180 minutes.
“Two days off at this point is huge, but you have to be careful with too many days off at this time of the year because if you get too many off, you can lose that flow,” Pilmore said. “So it’s kind of a happy medium you’re trying to find where guys can heal but don’t lose their concentration.”
cd211209@ohiou.edu
