When rivals come to town, the anticipation and excitement surrounding the matchup heightens to a new level.
For Ohio (12-4-1, 36 points), that is exactly what will happen this weekend when Lindenwood arrives in Athens for a two-game series.
Ohio and Lindenwood (5-8-1, 15 points) will face off Friday and Saturday at Bird Arena, and though there is hype surrounding the games because of the schools’ historic rivalry, coach Jonathon Sheridan stressed the importance of focus to the Bobcats.
“We try to keep (the games) as normal as possible,” Sheridan said. “The small things are really going to matter in these games, so it’s important that we clean (our game) up… Sometimes, in these games, guys get too excited and that’s when mistakes happen.”
The rivalry between Ohio and Lindenwood dates back to 2006, when the Lions joined the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL). Each team has achieved its fair share of success throughout the years, as Lindenwood was the runner-up in last year’s national championship. Ohio finished second (36 points) in the division behind Iowa State (37.5 points).
The Lions have struggled early this season, as they sit in fourth place, with a 2-5-1 record on the road.
On the other hand, the Bobcats have moved past their early struggles and are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. Ohio won its most recent game Saturday against West Virginia, 3-2.
Last year, the teams met when the divisional race came down to the wire.
It is too early to tell whether Ohio and Lindenwood will face a similar must-win situation this season when they meet again Jan. 4-5, but for now, it is important for the Bobcats to take the season one game at a time.
“We did start out very well after some stumbles at the beginning with things like the new coaching situation,” Sheridan said. “But we’re starting to figure things out and work together. We need to take it week by week, and we can’t be looking at the schedule…There are new kinks in the game plan, and the team is doing pretty well.”
The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m. in Bird Arena for both games and Ohio is anticipating big crowds.
@kelsey_surmacz4
KS363012@ohiou.edu
