Ohio (26-6) won the first game 2-1, but fell to the Liberty University Flames (19-9-1) in a rematch 3-1. The Bobcats outlasted the Flames in the first contest with discipline and effective defense. The intensified emotions of senior night may have gotten the best of the home team on Saturday night. Opportunistic plays, blocked shots and a calm goalie powered the Flames’ win.
All three goaltenders, Matt Zazon, Scott Bird and Garrett Alderman, are seniors. Captain Jack Glen, alternate captain Luc Reeve, forward Hollander Thompson, forward Drake Albers and defender Tommy Kloepfer are seniors as well. Although they celebrated along with family and the team, Alderman, Bird, Zazon and Reeve will return next year to play and complete graduate school.
Friday
After Ohio alumni Leo Welsh sang the national anthem, the Bobcats got to work. They created high danger chances and made big hits. Bird protected the net.
“Scott looked confident,” head coach Barry Schutte said. “Those games are harder when you’re not seeing ten shots in a period. He made two good breakaway saves.”
The Bobcats used passing plays all night. With five minutes to go, one succeeded. Albers finished off a rebound after neat passes from forward freshman Lance Mengel and junior Mathieu Ovaert.
“I joined the rush to beat their guys up the ice,” Albers said. “Mengel had a lot of poise to get that puck to Ovaert. And the rebound was there. I put it on the net.”
In the second period, Ohio aimed to sustain its momentum as Liberty and Ohio went back and forth with possession. Still, the Bobcats outshot the Flames 12-3. A late scuffle meant the next period would start 4-on-4.
Special teams dominated the rest of the game. Neither team scored on the initial man-down play, but the subsequent penalty kill spelled trouble for Ohio. Liberty’s Michael Fischer scored an unassisted goal as Ohio’s fifth skater returned to the ice.
Penalties continued to pile up. The Flames were able to block shots but showed fatigue. A collision between teammates displayed how the Bobcats were getting sloppy. Bird made a key save on a breakaway. This set up the winning goal from sophomore forward Nolan Abraham after Liberty’s goalie was unable to cover the puck and left the net wide open. Defenders junior Donovan Burdette and freshman Brady Gilbert assisted. The breath of relief flooded through the arena as Ohio notched a hard-fought win.
Saturday
Before the puck drop, the team introduced each senior and took photos with family. In addition to the American anthem, the Canadian anthem was played to honor four Canadian seniors.
Emotions ran high. Schutte said teammates always want to play well for their seniors, to give them the respect they deserve.
Ohio pressured Liberty with a consistent forecheck as the game began. Abraham slung a puck past the goalie from a tight angle less than 90 seconds into the game. Ovaert and sophomore defender Blake Dustin assisted Abraham on his second goal of the weekend.
Like the previous game, tension between the teams led to roughing and other penalties. Ohio defender TJ Richey was ejected from the game for spearing. Ohio received a five-minute major penalty. The Flames only managed six shots during the extended power play, but one found the back of the net.
“It was a hard game to wrap your head around,” Schutte said. “It didn’t have flow … I thought we shot ourselves in the foot.”
The second period started tied 1-1. The Bobcats somewhat lost their composure. A big mistake gave the Flames their game-winning goal. They scored shorthanded when Alderman skated behind the net to pass the puck to the neutral zone. He didn’t see the Liberty player, who scored on the empty net.
The Bobcats headed to the locker room disappointed. In the second intermission, the team invited its senior student staff members and volunteers to center ice to recognize their hard work.
Fights broke out through the third period. Two sets of offsetting penalties meant more chances for the teams to hone their special teams skills. Unfortunately, the Bobcats could not claw their way to a comeback. They pulled the goalie, and the Flames added a third point with an empty net goal.
Still, Schutte praised the senior class.
“They’re great young men,” Schutte said. “Tons of character, lots of resilience. They represent the Ohio Hockey community at a high level every day. Being 21-1 at home, I think that does our home faithful proud. (The seniors) take that responsibility seriously.”
