Syracuse didn’t just have to face Ohio in Bird Arena this weekend, it also had to compete against the raucous energy of the crowd. Family weekends at Ohio University always draw big crowds to Bird, and this year’s Dad’s Weekend was no exception. The Bobcats fed off the energy of the sold-out crowd and pulled off a dominant 7-0 shutout. Head Coach Lionel Mauron thinks the energy gave the Bobcats the boost they needed.
“It was awesome, it was probably my favorite night at Ohio so far. I think the energy they gave us, you can see it on the ice. We started really well and were able to maintain that throughout most of the game.”
The first period was a shining one for Ohio. Newcomer Drake Albers got the action started with a power-play goal. Although the offensive performance was the real star of the first period, the Bobcat defense was also showing up. Ohio was able to create over 20 shots on goal while holding the Orange to just 5. Veteran offensive weapon Luc Reeve added to his point count for the year with another power-play goal. Less than 2 minutes later, Andrew Wells scored another goal for the Bobcats and brought them up to a 3-0 lead. Ohio’s offense made great improvement, especially after a few rocky series. This is the Bobcats' first sweep since September, and they were finally able to work together more cohesively.
“I think we were moving the puck well and we were fast; we got to the net a lot,” said Mauron. “We were very frustrated in the way we played the past couple weeks, and we sent a message at practice. It was our expectation and I think the guys responded really well.”
The Bobcats held back the Orange offense in the second period as well. While most of the period saw a back-and-forth between the defenses, Will Cohen was able to break through and put another one on the scoreboard for Ohio. This gave the Bobcats a strong 4-0 lead, something they had not seen in a while.
It was a quick start in the third period, with Hollander Thompson scoring a goal just 30 seconds after the puck drop. Noah Holt, who currently has the most points out of all the Bobcats, followed that up with a goal of his own. Thompson wasn’t done yet either, solidifying Ohio’s 7-0 victory with his second goal of the evening. Thompson was pleased with his performance, especially after some personal offensive struggles. He also felt that the crowd is truly what gives the Bobcats a huge boost in games.
“Last night and tonight, definitely the most packed I have ever seen it here,“ Thompson said. "(The crowd) definitely helps us out and we were feeding off of it.”
Ohio stayed strong against the Syracuse offense and was led by senior goaltender Max Karlenzig. This was Karlenzig’s first shutout all season, and despite his eventual ejection with just 39 seconds left, he showed up and showed out.
“He does his job really well,“ said Mauron. "We know he’s a senior goalie … we can rely on him and so I am excited for him. I know it matters a lot."
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