It was business as usual for Ohio Friday night as the Bobcats took the first game of a weekend series at Kent State by a score of 6-2.
The Bobcats (24-1-1, 11-0-0 Central States Collegiate Hockey League) jumped on the Golden Flashes early and often, netting three goals in the first period as Ohio dictated the tempo.
Forwards Billy Hemann, Michael Schultz, and Josh Fodor scored in the opening frame for the Bobcats. Schultz added his second goal of the night, his 20th of the season, in the second period, and forward Tyler Pilmore put the game out of reach heading into the second intermission.
Kent State tried to get back in the game early in the third period, but the Flashes never got closer than 5-2.
They tried to do some things when the score was 5-1
and we adjusted pretty well with it Morris said.
Ohio captain Phil Oberlin put in his second goal of the season to reset the Bobcats' lead to four goals. The only other fireworks on the night came in the form of a third-period fight involving Ohio forward Jake Holzemer.
It got a little chippy at the end Morris said, noting that Holzemer would be ineligible for tomorrow night's game as well as the first game of 2010 against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 8 at Bird Arena.
Both squads were 1-for-9 on the power play Friday. Ohio also surrendered a shorthanded goal to the Flashes. The Bobcats have surrendered a goal with a man advantage in each of their last two contests.
Ohio goaltender Paul Marshall stopped 24 of 26 shots to earn his 21st victory of the season. Kent's Ryan Gregory stopped 35 of the 41 shots he faced.
Ohio will take on Kent again Saturday at Kent State Ice Arena. The Bobcats look to sustain their energy in their final game of 2009.
We just want to get excited
Morris said. It's our last game before the two-week break.
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Michael Stainbrook
