Ohio could receive a lift with the news that two players with Chicago heritage could return to the lineup when the Bobcats travel to the Windy City this weekend
Both forward John Luciana and goalie Teddy Dushkin could be back in the lineup when the fifth-ranked Bobcats take on 11th-ranked Robert Morris Friday night.
Luciana, a top-six forward, has missed the last 20 games with a lower-body injury suffered Oct. 21 at Penn State, while Dushkin hasn’t played in OU’s last five games due to a high-ankle sprain.
The return of Luciana potentially comes at a crucial juncture for the Bobcats, who will be without top-six forwards Josh Fodor and Tom Whetsel for Friday night’s game due to injury.
Fodor and Whetsel had been playing on the team’s second line with Brett Agnew, and their absence could have forced Ohio to play with only three lines all game. If Luciana, Ohio’s fith-leading scorer last season, is fully fit, coach Dan Morris may be allowed to roll four lines, keeping bodies fresh not only Friday but also for Saturday.
The return of Dushkin, who played junior hockey in the Chicago-area for the Chicago Steel of the USHL, could present more of a problem —albeit a good one — for Morris. The return of the team’s number-one netminder means that he’ll have to chose between Dushkin and freshman Brendan Madden, who has won Ohio’s last four games with a combined 1.00 goals against average.
As of Thursday afternoon, Morris still wasn’t sure whether Dushkin would be ready to go, and if he is which goaltender would get the start Friday.
cd211209@ohiou.edu
