Ohio scored the first three goals of the game and were the physical aggressors throughout Saturday as they beat Illinois for the second straight night.
With the win, the Bobcats improve to 20-7 on the season, including 7-1 versus Central States Collegiate Hockey League competition. The win also improves their home record to a perfect 10-0 on the season.
Zach Tisdale opened the scoring 11 minutes into the first, scoring on a rebound from a Jonathan Pietramala after extended pressure from Ohio. Eight minutes later it was 2-0, with Nick Rostek deflecting a Zack Barbis shot from the point past Illini goaltender Nick Clarke.
Rostek was at it again a minute into the first with the Bobcats on the power play. The left winger took a pass from his centerman Tyler Pilmore at the faceoff dot and put one between Clarke’s legs to make it 3-1.
Illinois then got its only goal of the game four minutes later as Derek Schultz capitalized on a Barbis interference call and got one past Ohio goaltender Brendan Madden. But the Bobcats bounced back, and just three minutes after that defenseman Mike Kretz slapped a bouncing puck past Clarke for a fourth.
Like the second period the night before, the third period on Saturday turned into a penalty fest, with an astounding 113 penalty minutes and five disqualifications. Unfortunately for the Bobcats both Tom Whetsel and Craig Myeroff were thrown out of the game with less than a minute to go, meaning both could miss next Friday’s game at Robert Morris.
OU’s Brett Agnew scored the only goal of the period 4:32 in to make it a final score of 5-1.
Brendan Madden had to make just 12 saves for his second win of the weekend, while the Bobcats peppered Clarke’s net with 36.
Ohio will next be in action next Friday when they travel to Chicago to take on Robert Morris to take on the Eagles.
cd211209@ohiou.edu
