Ohio swept Kent State in a two-game weekend series to elevate its record to 15-7. With back-to-back wins, Ohio now also holds a seven-game winning streak.
Here is all you need to know from the weekend:
Friday
Ohio came into Friday looking to continue its five-game win streak after multiple electric victories.
An all-around impressive performance from goaltender Justin Damon and heroics by Hollander Thompson allowed Ohio to secure a 2-1 overtime victory against Kent State on Friday night. With that, the Bobcats earned their sixth straight win and their second overtime victory.
Despite that, there was an overall lack of energy from both sides of the puck, which made overtime necessary. Here are the numbers to know from the game:
38
The amount of shots on goal by Kent State truly put Damon to work. He had some impressive saves in the first period, diving out of the box multiple times to keep the puck away. He also had some help from his fellow defenseman, who also kept the Golden Flashes from earning some key scoring opportunities. Damon also did not let the Golden Flashes' singular goal in the second period shake him, keeping his energy going into the third and overtime. Damon has continued to be one of Ohio's most consistent goaltenders this season, playing 13 games with an overall 93 save percentage.
Barron Stibbe is another one of Ohio's recruits rising with the team. After earning two key assists against Niagara, he scored the first and only goal during regulation for Ohio. He thinks the team has improved greatly since the beginning of the season, with that statement holding true after the overtime win. There were also only three goals scored overall during the game. The Bobcats and Golden Flashes had slow-moving offenses, making it hard for either to take advantage of scoring opportunities.
6
The Bobcats have won their sixth game in a row. After taking some tough losses and ending up at the 14-seed in the American Collegiate Hockey Association rankings, Ohio found new life at the Chicago showcase. Taking down three teams in a row, including rival Minot State, the Bobcats ignited a spark among themselves. After two intense victories against Niagara, the Bobcats have officially found their footing and grown their win streak.
Saturday
Ohio defeated Kent State 7-2 on Saturday. The Bobcats swept The Golden Flashes by setting the tone early. Ohio has been on a winning streak since its sweep at the Chicago Classic on Nov. 17.
Here are some numbers to know from the game:
The Bobcats showed up to play for their second game of the series. Hollander Thompson ignited the game with the first goal, with 5:22 remaining in the first period. Luc Reeve and Will Cohen earned penalties in the first period. The Bobcats closed it out with a score of 1-0 and 13 shots on goal, compared to the Golden Flashes' six shots.
Mathieu Ovaert scored near the middle of the second period, quickly followed by the goal from Reeve at 13:56. Kent State made the score 1-3 with a goal from Mitch Gillespie with 5:53 remaining in the second period. Ohio bounced back shortly after, with Cohen scoring and closing out the second period leading 4-1, Ohio having almost double the number of shots on goal.
The fast-paced game continued to take flight in the third period; Ovaert scored his second goal of the night less than a minute into the period. Penalties continued to take place, and the tension built led to an unassisted goal by Drake Albers with 13:51 remaining.
Ovaert solidified a hat trick with 8:46 remaining, bringing the score to 7-1. The game became penalty-heavy during its final moments. Kent State snuck the puck in and scored with 46 seconds remaining in the game. The Bobcats claimed the ice, winning 7-6, with 49 shots on goal. Ovaert, Reeve and Sam Turner were announced the stars of the game: Ovaert with three goals and two assists, Reeve with one goal and three assists and Turner with three assists. The Bobcats owned Bird Arena and closed the semester on a high note.
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@ErionEmma
Managing Editor
