A lackluster 4-2 win at Robert Morris on Dec. 30 in the first post-holiday break game shocked the second-ranked Ohio State men’s hockey team back to reality.
A quick trip to Cleveland’s Progressive Field on Monday to skate on the outdoor rink at the home of the Indians gave the youthful Buckeyes a glimpse of what it will be like when they play Michigan there on Jan. 15 in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff.
However, keeping the focus on this weekend’s struggling opponent is the task at hand before OSU plays at Bowling Green on Saturday and Sunday.
No problem, according to senior forward Cory Schneider.
“They’re an in-state rival. It’s a league opponent,” he said. “It’s a fun rink to play. It will be a good atmosphere. It’s an old barn, a lot of history there. They’re going to come out ready to play. We know we have a target on our backs.”
The Falcons (6-13-1, 1-11-2-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association) are not only last in the league but are burdened by an 11-game winless streak.
Meanwhile, Ohio State (14-4-3, 10-3-1-1) sits atop the conference by five points and has one loss in the past 14 games.
Yet, OSU coach Mark Osiecki looks at the BG roster that has nine freshmen and only two seniors compared to his squad’s 12 rookies and four seniors and notes a familiarity.
“You see a very similar team that we have. They’re a mirror image, to be honest with you, but for whatever reason they don’t have the results to show for it but they play extremely well,” he said. “You talk to any coach in the CCHA, anybody that they’ve played; they’ve been very tough to play. They’re stingy. They’re physical.”
Although such talk could make the players roll their eyes, they continue to concentrate on making themselves better.
“We’re not trying to pay too much attention to the rankings and all that, just trying to go about our business,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done all year. No one was talking about us at the beginning of the season. We were just worried about ourselves and we continue to do that all week.
“We know where we’re at (in the polls). Our biggest worry is let’s get to where we want to be at the end of the season.”
Besides, all the coaching staff has to do is show them the scuffling play at against Robert Morris.
“It’s interesting coming back after a long layoff and going to Robert Morris,” Osiecki said. “We didn’t play very well and it’s probably perfect for us as coaches to step back right now and be able to sit down and go over some film with the players, let them know the approach we had at the beginning of the year we kind of got away from a little bit.
“That’s somewhat second nature. They go away for three weeks and everyone’s telling them how great they are.”
Osiecki said the Buckeyes’ success this season is a curse and a blessing.
“We try to bring them down to earth as much as we can and really humble them,” he said. “It’s really easy to do on film because you can’t play the perfect game. Unfortunately, that’s hockey.
“On the flip side, we want our guys to embrace it as well. This is the level we’re going to be at. This is the level we’re trying to maintain and certainly this is the level we’re trying to excel at. In doing so, we have to embrace that feeling and how to handle it.”
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