Men's Hockey
Nanooks Come Calling to Columbus
Big Crowds Exepcted for Series
By Paula C. Weston
After an idle Thanksgiving Weekend, the No. 9 Buckeyes
(9-4-1, 7-2-1 CCHA) are eager to return to action with a two-game
home series against conference foe Alaska-Fairbanks (6-4-0, 5-3-0
CCHA).
Nov. 19-20, OSU had its poorest league showing of the year with a
one-point road weekend against Nebraska-Omaha (7-4-1, 5-4-1 CCHA).
The Friday 4-0 loss was the first time the Buckeyes had been shut
out this season, and toward the end of the game, their frustration
translated into plenty of penalties, including a game disqualification
for freshman Kyle Hood and 10-minute misconducts for Nate Guenin,
Rod Pelley, and Matt Beaudoin.
Yes, there were matching penalties for the Mavericks, too.
"Maybe you can say that youth reared its ugly face and we didn't
have enough older guys to combat it," says head coach John Markell,
"but we got a point out of it the next night, which isn't easy."
After leading 2-0 in the first period of the Saturday game, the Buckeyes
gave up four unanswered UNO goals but came back with markers from
Andrew Schembri and Jason DeSantis to earn the tie. DeSantis's tying
goal was shorthanded and his first marker as a Buckeye.
In spite of gutting out the point, Markell says he was unhappy with
the weekend's efforts, which were hampered by the shortened bench
on Saturday because of Hood's DQ and an injury in Friday's game that
kept Sean Collins on the bench.
"We didn't play well. It wasn't just one person; it was everybody.
We didn't play our systems. We tried to play lazy hockey. We were
unfocused. We tried to play perimeter hockey, didn't engage, and it
was just complacent hockey that you can't play in the CCHA or in any
college hockey.
"We got out of it a little bit on Saturday. We played better.
We lost Sean Collins and that was a big part of it, but before he
got hurt he was like everybody else. He was off."
Markell and the Buckeyes welcomed the Thanksgiving break to heal
up some injuries and refocus their energies.
"We had to regroup, and sometimes a break can do you well,"
says Markell. "Sometimes you can come back refreshed, and hopefully
these guys have done that."
This weekend, OSU welcomes an opponent that has traditionally played
the Buckeyes very tough. Like Ohio State, the Nanooks are a team fueled
by a large, energetic freshman class, one that boasts the league's
top netminder, Wylie Rogers (1.72 GAA, .938 SV%).
"We watched a bit of him on tape, and I think he's very good,"
says Markell.
"Anytime you get a goalie of that nature, you have to get traffic
in front of him, you have to choose your shots properly, aim right,
and take advantage of your opportunities."
This match pairs Rogers with OSU's high-flying offense, which is
unbeaten at home, having outscored opponents 28-6 in five games in
the Schott this season.
First-year UAF head coach Tavis MacMillan describes Ohio State as
"an aggressive, young" team. "Watching them on tape,
I like the things they do. They look good."
Last weekend, the Nanooks gave up their first home loss in a split
with Notre Dame (3-6-4, 2-5-3 CCHA). Led offensively by junior Kelly
Czuy (4-8-12), the Nanooks score by committee; Czuy - pronounced "Chewy"
- is the only Nanook in double digits in scoring, but 14 players have
registered at least one goal this season, and even the goaltender
Rogers has an assist.
UAF's penalty kill is the best overall in the conference and second
in league play only to Ohio State. That's an important stat, since
the Buckeyes lead the nation in penalty minutes and these two teams
have a history of getting physical.
More than 9,000 actual tickets - not PSLs, not comps - have been
sold for each game this weekend, and the Nanooks have always drawn
well at the Schott, but Markell thinks there's more to it than any
perceived rivalry between the squads.
"People are aware that we're playing. Football season is over...and
this is our time to get fans into the building. They're just enjoying
the game of hockey. It doesn't matter whether we're playing or the
Blue Jackets are playing, they just enjoy seeing high-level hockey."
Friday is the ever-popular Buck-a-Brat Night, and the OSU pep band
will perform Script Ohio on the ice - but, unfortunately, not on skates.
Also for Friday's game, Kroger Plus Card holders can get in for $4
and CD101 will broadcast live from the Schott from 3-7 p.m.
Saturday is Toys-for-Tots Night, and any fan who brings a new toy
to donate can get in for $4. The number "four" is the theme
for the weekend; Frozen Four Packs, which include four tickets, four
dogs, for soft drinks, and four popcorns, are available for $40.
And, to top it all off, sophomores Bryce Anderson and Matt Beaudoin
will sign autographs after Saturday's contest.
The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. each night. The games can be heard at
wosu.org.
Notes
* UAF and OSU are 15-15-2 all-time. The Buckeyes lead the series
8-5-1 in Columbus, and OSU swept UAF at home last year.
* Although the Buckeyes are riding a five-game home streak for this
season into the weekend, they're defending a 10-game home win streak
that dates back to Jan. 24, 2004, when they lost to Michigan State.
* Since making the Schott their permanent home, the Buckeyes have
played just six December games in VCA, going 5-1-0 for the month all-time.
* The weekend in Omaha marked the first time this season that OSU
failed to earn at least two points from a CCHA opponent.
* In Omaha, freshman Tom Fritsche finally - finally - netted his
first collegiate goal. The forward leads OSU in scoring with one goal
and 15 assists.
* Rod Pelley leads the league in power-play goals with seven, and
is tied for third in the nation. He also leads the Buckeyes in goal
production with nine, just one short of his total for the 2003-04
season.
* In OSU's nine wins this season, nine different Buckeyes have recorded
the game-winning goal.
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