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Ohio's Kyle Craddick is checked into the glass by Jamestown's Jeremy McNeal during the Bobcats' game against Jamestown on Oct. 6. The Bobcats lost 3-2. (FILE)

Hockey: Ohio aims to cut down on penalties against Illinois

When Ohio enters Champaign, Illinois, on Friday and Saturday for its first weekend of Central States Collegiate Hockey League play, the Bobcats will begin an annual stretch of games that have typically been touted as the toughest portion of the regular season.

Five of Ohio's next six opponents will be against CSCHL opponents. The divisional clashes usually mix tightly-contested games with intensified physical play: six of Ohio's seven losses last year came to CSCHL teams.

While the Bobcats still look to bring a physical presence this weekend, they'll be weary about the consequences that often come with it.

"We have to stay out of the box," coach Sean Hogan said when addressing Ohio's biggest issue for the first weekend of divisional play. 

He made sure to emphasize the point to his players this week in practice as the team prepared for yet another series with a shortened bench.

The Bobcats will have just 16 skaters this weekend. Defenseman and team captain Jake Faiella is still nursing a shoulder injury while forward Garrett Elmore is recovering from ventricular hypertrophy. Forward Matt Rudin is also out with a broken clavicle.

It'll be the fourth consecutive weekend where Ohio is significantly shorthanded, and while the Bobcats are 7-0-1 in that stretch, they'll need their remaining players to maintain discipline in the crucial interdivisional contest this weekend.

Ohio leads the CSCHL with 64 times short-handed and is second-to-last with a 83 percent penalty-kill rate. The Bobcats are tied for most in the division with 10 power-play goals allowed.

While Illinois' power play has a division-low 42 opportunities, it's made its man-advantages count — the Fighting Illini have scored 10 times on the power play and boast a division-best 23-percent conversion rate.

Ohio has previously shown little fear in risking time in the penalty box to get under the opponent's skin. Seven of Ohio's 16 available skaters this weekend have spent at least 12 minutes in the penalty box so far this season, and the Bobcats lead the division with 216 PIMs.

With a division-low 106 PIMs, Illinois' disciplined team likely won't give in to any mischief from Ohio this weekend. 

If the Bobcats find themselves in the penalty box too often, they could be grasping for energy late in games. The thin roster's energy is expected to be maxed out because of Illinois' enormous ice-sheet. 

"In the defensive zone, we need to be disciplined because there's so much room," Hogan said. "We can't go chasing the puck."

Penalties have never been the main reason why Ohio (11-2-1) has fallen behind opponents, but with a heightened intensity of play expected against Illinois (9-2-1) and future CSCHL opponents, discipline could be the deciding factor of success for the Bobcats this weekend.

"There's just been sometimes where like penalties aren't needed," forward and assistant captain Mike Palasics said. "Especially with a short bench already, we don't need that."

@anthonyp_2

ap012215@ohio.edu

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