Men’s hockey’s homestand continues tonight at 7pm and tomorrow at 8pm. Note that Saturday’s opening faceoff is a little later than usual on account of there being a basketball game at the Schott earlier in the day.
Saturday’s game also features the first postgame locker room tour (for kids 13 and under who wear their youth hockey jerseys to the game) and second postgame “meet and greet” of the season. Details on those promotions can be found in the Buckeyes’ series preview and links for following along are on their gameday page.
Ohio State’s opponent this weekend is Atlantic Hockey’s Niagara Purple Eagles. According to their own website, an acceptable nickname for the team is “the Purps.” I am not making that up. See for yourself. Anyway, Niagara lost a lot of key contributors, both offensive and defensive, from last season’s NCAA tournament team. The list included star netminder and Hobey Baker Award finalist Carsen Chubak, who signed a pro contract with Adirondack in the offseason.
Despite those big losses the team was still picked to repeat as regular season champs in the AHA’s preseason coaches’ poll.
“We’re certainly not ordering and plaques or trophies, but the AHA is a great league and to be picked is a great honor for our guys and we’ve got something to live up to… The guys that we lost are huge and you just don’t know… You can’t put a price tag on senior leadership.” - Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder, from USCHO’s season preview
At this point the preseason predictions seem to have been a bit ambitious. Niagara has faced a couple tough teams. They opened their season with a series against current No. 15/16 Clarkson and played a game two weeks ago at then No. 17 Denver. They last all three games. You can make allowances for losing to ranked teams, but the Purple Eagles aren’t doing so hot within their conference either and those teams aren't as highly regarded.
They overcame a three goal deficit to beat rival Canisius, but lost at Air Force and only managed a tie at Robert Morris. They're being outscored 23-15 overall and 11-6 in their collective first periods. It works out to scoring an average of 2.50 goals per game and allowing 3.83 per game (an avg. goals-for and -against identical to that of Robert Morris). Special teams have been a particular struggle for the team. The power play is currently functioning at 10.3% and the penalty kill at just 64.5%.
One of the reasons for the team’s slow start is likely the absence of leading returning scorer Ryan Murphy, a player on whom Niagara was expected to rely heavily this season. Unfortunately he was suspended until the middle of January following a DWI arrest last month. (Insert Purps/perp jokes here.) Instead the Purple Eagles are being led in scoring by junior Mike Conderman (3-1--4), and seniors Kevin Ryan (1-3--4) and Ryan Rashid (2-1--3).
Niagara doesn’t have the luxury of veteran leadership in net where they’re backstopped by a pair of freshmen. Adrian Ignagni and Jackson Teichroeb have split the starts so far this season. Ignagni has had a little better go of it with a 2.98 GAA and .914 SV%. Teichroeb clocks in at 4.74/.869.
NU had a bye last week so they’re well-rested and have had ample opportunity to work on their problem areas. Improved special teams should be a point of emphasis for both sides. Niagara’s, as previously stated, aren’t good and OSU’s haven’t been much more successful: a 14.9% power play and 68.6% penalty kill. That said this still looks like a very winnable series for Ohio State. The Buckeyes seem to have been finding a groove these last few contests while the Purps still seem to be finding their game.
The other Big Ten teams in action this weekendA few pregame links for your reading and/or listening pleasure…
- Women’s hockey is also at home this weekend. The lady Bucks host Bemidji State at the OSU Ice Rink tonight at 7pm and Saturday at 4pm. Admission to all women’s hockey games is 100% free. Check out OSU’s series preview for more info and click here for an interview with reigning WCHA rookie of the week Claudia Kepler.
- Paula Weston sort of recapped the Buckeye men’s October in the middle of this Big Ten feature for USCHO.
- Voting is now open for the defense portion of Ohio State’s all-time Buckeye team.
- It’s November, a.k.a. grow a skeevy mustache to promote men’s health month. You can keep tabs on the Buckeyes’ lip rugs here. (To be fair, I doubt anyone intends to grow a skeevy stache. They just almost all turn out that way.)
- Matt Tomkins talked to the media about this weekend’s series and adjusting to life in college hockey. They better not have breathed germs on him or anything. Hey, can we upgrade his non-gameday bubble wrap to a non-gameday bubble Hazmat suit?
- And finally Steve Rohlik discusses OSU’s ongoing quest for a 60 minute game and the possibility that Tanner Fritz returns sooner than later…
