Ohio (11-1-0 overall) defeated Illinois State (6-7-1 overall) 11-2 Saturday night. The Bobcats also won Friday, dominating the Redbirds 9-1. Ohio’s season has been filled with high-scoring games. Air-tight defense has been the Bobcats’ calling card this season. In 12 games, the team has only allowed 13 goals, making them the third-best in the league. All three goalies have at least one shutout each.
Senior and Ohio native Matt Zazon started in goal. He only gave up two goals in the game, bringing his save percentage to .957 for the season. Zazon, a four-year player at Ohio, was in the net for the fourth time this season, and Ohio has fared well with him in the net, winning every matchup to this point.
The Bobcats struck first, scoring two quick goals. Senior Hollander Thompson scored the first of the game. Hollander leads the team with 18 points, eight of them being goals and 10 being assists. Sophomore Alex Mazzuca lit the lamp next, as Ohio’s quick strike ability was on full display in the first period.
Illinois State snuck in a goal of their own, via Robin Kuusik’s shot. Next, Ohio captain Jack Glen found the back of the net. As the clock hit two minutes remaining, senior Luc Reeve scored. This was Reeve’s 10th of the season, the most on the Bobcats’ roster.
In the second period, Zazon and the defense held steady and didn’t give up any goals. Ohio’s Barron Stibbe took a shot as he evaded a defender left of the net, earning the team’s fifth goal. The junior from Upper Arlington, Will Cohen, scored after recovering his own rebound, followed by Thompson’s second of the night.
The high-scoring second period for Ohio came to a close as sophomore Kevin Kasper beat the defense to the net and scored, pushing the Ohio lead to 8-1.
The Bobcats faltered slightly in the third; they gave up a second goal but still managed three of their own.
Nolan Abraham, a sophomore from Michigan, notched a goal to begin the period. Senior Laker Aldridge took a shot from the goal line. The puck ricocheted in behind the goalie’s left shoulder. The goal meant Aldridge is tied with Hollander for most points this season, 18 each.
After that, Illinois State’s Will Tricarico finally pushed through Ohio’s defense to earn the Redbirds’ second point. Cohen capped off the game for the Bobcats with his second goal of the night.
Cohen earned the first star of the game. Thompson and Aldridge were awarded second and third stars, respectively.
Next, the Bobcats play the Kent State Golden Flashes (6-4-1 overall) at home. The puck drops at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday, both at Bird Arena. Although the Flashes are second in their division, they’ve given up 52 goals in just 11 games. The Bobcats look to sustain their productive offense and add two more tallies to their win streak.
ac309223@ohio.edu
