David Moyer does not remember last season's American Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament fondly.
After the Bobcats' early exit in the quarterfinals a year ago to Lindenwood, the defenseman said that he is determined not to repeat this poor showing this year.
It's a big motivator and coming into this year
we wanted to do better than last year he said. Losing in the quarters last year killed everybody. I definitely don't want the seniors sent out like that.
Second-seeded Ohio (30-9, 18-4 Central States Collegiate Hockey League) will begin its run at the ACHA championship today at 1:00 p.m. in Youngstown, Ohio, against fifteenth-seeded Michigan-Dearborn.
Ohio coach Dan Morris said that his team is quite familiar with the Wolves, having played them in the first round of the CSCHL Tournament two weeks ago.
I think we know them pretty well Morris said. They play two styles of hockey
a run and gun style or patient
shut-down hockey. We have to be ready for either one.
After a disappointing showing in the CSCHL Tournament, the Bobcats turned it around last weekend, sweeping West Virginia in their final home weekend of the season.
Morris said that his team must continue to play its style of hockey in the tournament to be successful.
Patience
execution and discipline are three keys to our team being successful
he said. If we wait for our opportunities
execute when they come and limit the opportunities of our opponents
we will be successful.
For the first time in two months, the Bobcats will leave Athens and the confines of Bird Arena.
While this will be a significant change of setting for Ohio, right winger Paul Warriner said that his team has experience playing at the Ice Zone, the host site of the tournament.
The rink that we are playing at is similar in size to our own rink
he said. We played there in three games earlier this year and I don't think it is a concern playing away from Bird Arena.
In the final week of the Bobcats' season, Warriner said that it becomes the upperclassmen's responsibility to guide younger players as the most crucial stretch of the season approaches.
There are a lot of distractions and stuff going on
so I have talked with the other guys about it and tried to prepare them for what to expect
