Ohio split its weekend series with No. 3 Arizona State, falling 5-4 in a shootout Friday night but winning 3-2 Saturday.
During the weekend, six of the fifth-ranked Bobcats' seven goals came on the man advantage, a statistic head coach Dan Morris finds positive but also troubling.
It's good and it's bad. We want to win the five-on-five battles ... We got beat this weekend on even-strength goals. Morris said. That's an area of concern.
The power play was the key to the Bobcats' success Saturday as two of their goals came on the man advantage. Forward Brett Molnar had a pair of goals, including a third-period power-play tally to clinch the game for Ohio.
Molnar opened scoring in the second period. The senior looked to send a pass across the crease, but it caught Arizona State
goaltender Mark Schacker's leg and redirected into the net to give the Bobcats the lead.
Freshman left winger Brett Agnew scored his team-leading fifth power-play goal later in the period to put Ohio up two. Darcy Charrois scored a power-play goal of his own for the Sun Devils just before the period ended to make it 2-1 heading into the third.
Molnar scored another power-play goal early in the third to regain the two-goal lead. Morris praised the assistant captain's contributions to the win on the ice and in the locker room.
When I talk about some of the things he does that you don't see on the score sheet
he's doing in the locker room he's doing on the bench he said. Last night he put his money where his mouth is. Not only is the guy talking up (but he's) putting the puck in the back of the net.
Arizona State head coach Greg Powers opted to pull his goaltender in favor of the extra man in the final minutes in hopes of netting a pair of quick goals.
Danny McAuliffe found the puck amidst a scrum near the crease and was able to put it past goaltender Blake MacNicol to bring the Sun Devils within one, but the Bobcats were able to fend off the final flurry to hold on for the win.
(The Sun Devils) were particularly tired (Saturday night). I think we wore them out pretty good Friday night
Morris said. We dominated play both nights
and that's the result.
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Sports
Bart Logan
