OHIO STATE MEN’S HOCKEY
Buckeyes determined to get back on track
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH Coach John Markell, right, coming off a frustrating season, makes a point to his players before a recent practice.
Last season ended earlier than expected for the Ohio State men’s hockey team, so this season started earlier than ever. Coach John Markell held 6 a.m. practices throughout spring quarter for the returning players.
If being swept by Ferris State at the end of last season did not leave them feeling sick to their stomachs, an early wakeup call after a night of, shall we say, collegiate living certainly would have.
"That forced us to get the right sleep and the right diet," senior defenseman Sean Collins said.
Markell’s message of personal responsibility carried into the fall quarter. In years past the coaches selected a captain and alternate captains shortly after the previous season ended. But this time Markell waited until last week to name Collins the captain and forwards Mathieu Beaudoin and Matt McIlvane alternate captains.
He wanted multiple players to take charge during the spring and summer workouts and the first week of organized practice.
"It’s not up to one individual to make decisions. It’s up to the whole team," Markell said. "Just because you’re wearing a ‘C’ doesn’t mean that everybody else isn’t capable of leading themselves and don’t have to concentrate on what they do. After last season, I’m interested in seeing how that evolves."
The Buckeyes went 15-19-5 last season, finished 10 th in the 12-team Central Collegiate Hockey Association and were swept in the first round of the conference tournament by Ferris State. It was a hard fall from their preseason ranking of No. 1 in the conference and No. 3 in the nation.
Most of the core returns from that team, and from the team that went 27-11-4 in 2004-05. So the 2006-07 Buckeyes know one another well, and they have known considerable success and failure.
"We feel like we learned from both years," Collins said. "We learned what makes a successful team from an unsuccessful team. It’s a product of attitude and confidence. It’s not getting too high during the highs or too low during the lows. You try to keep an even keel."
A number of players worked out together throughout the summer, and most were skating together since late August or early September. Teams were allowed to begin supervised practices Sept. 15, but only for two hours per week. The first day of full practice was Sunday.
"There’s no doubt we’re in good shape right now," Beaudoin said.
There are holes in the lineup, though. Among the five players lost from last season were Dave Caruso — one of the most decorated goaltenders in the program’s history — and his backup, Ian Keserich. Highly touted freshman Joe Palmer figures to get the bulk of the playing time in goal, and his backup will be 17-year-old freshman Nick Filion.
The Buckeyes also have lost junior forward Tom Fritsche, who led the team in scoring the past two seasons, for at least the start of this season. He has been hospitalized for much of the past month because of an intestinal disorder, and it is unknown when or if he will play this season.
"He’s an impact player," Markell said. "Now it’s even more important that everybody pitches in and scores some goals. The best-case scenario is that we score by committee."
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OHIO STATE HOCKEY
Palmer will try to carry on legacy of strong goalies
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Freshman goaltender Joe Palmer will make his first start tonight when Ohio State faces Guelph.
The hallmark of the Ohio State hockey program in recent seasons has been a tight defense backed by a sturdy goaltender. Jeff Maund set the school record for highest save percentage, Mike Betz set the record for most wins and Dave Caruso set the record for lowest goals-against average.
Caruso finished his career last March among the top four in the program?s history in wins, save percentage and minutes played, in addition to his record for lowest goals-against average. His are sizable shoes to fill.
Freshman Joe Palmer knows the history and understands the expectations. Where others might see pressure, he saw opportunity.
Palmer, a veteran of the U.S. National Team Development Program and a fourth-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, welcomed the chance to replace Caruso. He will make his collegiate debut at 8:05 tonight as Ohio State?s starting goalie in an exhibition game against Guelph.
"It was definitely one of the biggest factors in coming to Ohio State ? the ability to come in as a freshman and get playing time and showcase my abilities," Palmer said.
The opportunity grew during the summer when Ian Kesserich, Caruso?s backup the previous two seasons, left the program to play junior hockey. The Buckeyes scrambled to fill his spot, signing 17-year-old Nick Filion, who was planning to play junior hockey for another season before attending college.
The only returning goalie is junior Phil Lauderdale, a former walk-on from the OSU club team who has never played in a Division I game. Palmer will be expected to carry the load, with Filion as his backup.
"Both guys can play, and I think both guys will play," coach John Markell said. "They?re freshmen. I know going in there are going to be situations where one guy has to be pulled, so the other guy has to be ready to step in."
Palmer is no stranger to the spotlight, or the competition. While in the development program the past two seasons, he played more than a dozen games against Division I college teams and competed in multiple international tournaments.
"It definitely got me ready," he said. "Not just the speed of the game ... but the mental aspect of playing in a college atmosphere, with the fans and everything. It definitely prepares you for the atmosphere."
Filion figures to have a tougher adjustment. This is his first time living away from home, he has not faced the same competition as Palmer, and until late in the summer he expected to spend this season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
"I?m still shocked and amazed," he said. "It came up pretty fast."
Filion said he was so impressed during his visit to Ohio State that he was willing to begin his college career one year earlier than he originally planned, even if it meant arriving in Palmer?s shadow.
Each said he likes having a classmate to compete with, and Markell does, too.
"It will be a competition, which we want it to be. But it will be very complementary," Markell said. "Both kids are freshmen. They know they?re going to be here ? together ? for four years. They know they are going to have to work together."
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OHIO STATE 1 LAKE SUPERIOR STATE 0
Newcomer paces win in opener
MSU transfer nets game?s lone goal
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG> Ohio State freshman goalie Joseph Palmer stops a point-blank shot by Lake Superior?s Trent Campbell in the second period.
After 18 months of weightlifting, lonely skating and waiting to get back into a game, Tommy Goebel was perhaps the most excited player on the ice last weekend during Ohio State?s exhibition win over Guelph ? and quickly the most frustrated. He created but could not finish a number of scoring chances, including an open net on his first shift in scarlet and gray.
"My dad was yelling at me after that one," Goebel said with a laugh this week.
Redemption did not take long.
In his regular-season debut for the Buckeyes last night, Goebel, an Ohio native who played his first two seasons at Michigan State and sat out last season because of transfer rules, tallied a nifty shorthanded goal to account for all the scoring in a 1-0 win over Lake Superior State.
"If you saw my face," he said with a smile, "I was pretty happy. It just feels good to play hockey again and score a goal. We got the win. It?s a good day."
The game looked like an opener, with plenty of rust on both sides. Ohio State freshman Joe Palmer had 22 saves to post a shutout in his collegiate debut. Lake Superior State senior Jeff Jakaitis had 43 saves.
The Buckeyes went 0 of 5 on power plays, including 71 seconds with a two-man advantage in the first period, but shut out the Lakers on seven power-play attempts.
"It?s a good way to start off the year," Palmer said.
The Buckeyes used three freshmen, Goebel, and a handful of players who missed significant time last season because of injuries. The Lakers used eight freshmen. The acclimation to college hockey (or reacclimation, in some cases) is ongoing.
"We got through it, and we got better as the game went on," OSU coach John Markell said.
The first period was, in Markell?s words, "a feel-out period," and the third period was a hold-on-tight period. In between, Ohio State outshot Lake Superior State 24-7 in the second period and Goebel made the play of the game.
After a turnover at center ice, Goebel carried the puck down the left wing. He had a two-on-one with teammate Domenic Maiani and held the puck long enough to freeze the defender and Jakaitis, then slipped the puck between Jakaitis? legs and into the net.
"Dom Maiani made a great play to get back and create a two-on-one instead of just a one-on-one," Goebel said. "It gave me a chance to make a move, and luckily it slipped in."
The Buckeyes had to kill one more Lakers power play in the final 2? minutes of the game to secure the win, and they did so with fourth-line center Bryce Anderson and his freshman winger, Mathieu Picard, leading the way.
It was Ohio State?s 10 th straight win over Lake Superior State, the past three by shutout.
"It was a great team win," Palmer said. "If you look at the penalty kill, everybody was in there."
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OHIO STATE HOCKEY
Veteran pairing powers defense
Strachan, Waddell lead experienced bunch on blue line
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Ohio State defenseman Tyson Strachan suffered a shoulder injury during the opening weekend of his freshman season and a knee injury during the opening weekend of his sophomore season. Each lingered and forced him out of the lineup at times.
Strachan got through the opening weekend of his junior season but suffered a broken wrist in mid-January that caused him to miss the final 16 games.
As he prepared for this season, he smiled and said, "There has been a lot of knocking on wood."
Strachan made it through the opening weekend once again, and he started both games against Lake Superior State ? a 1-0 win Friday and a 7-6 loss Saturday. His defensive partner was fellow senior Matt Waddell, his teammate since their junior-hockey days in British Columbia.
When Strachan has been healthy, he and Waddell have been paired together throughout their Ohio State careers.
"Playing with him has been like second nature to me," Waddell said. "We?re so comfortable with each other. We almost know what each other is thinking before the actions are taking place.
"I know what his limits are and what my limits are. It?s a great combination to have."
Ironically, Strachan?s wrist injury might have been a blessing in disguise for Waddell.
With Strachan and Jason DeSantis unavailable for long stretches last season, Waddell, Sean Collins and senior Nate Guenin played major minutes during the most difficult portion of the schedule, including games at Michigan and Miami University and against eventual national champion Wisconsin. Waddell finished with a careerhigh eight goals ? four more than he scored in his first two seasons combined.
"It gave me a chance to step up into a leadership role and create a name for myself," he said. "I felt a lot more pressure on myself, and I felt like I stepped up to that challenge ? maybe not in team success, but I felt a lot more confident on the ice, like I can make that difference for our team.
"Puck possession was really a key for me. I felt like I wasn?t throwing the puck away. I was making strong decisions with the puck all the time."
Now that Strachan is healthy, the pair?s experience and synergy stand out on what is a veteran defense.
Collins started every game last season and has played in 122 of 125 games during his Ohio State career; he is the team captain this season. Juniors DeSantis and Johann Kroll are two-time letterwinners, and Kroll has not missed a game during his college career.
The only newcomer is freshman Kevin Montgomery, a fourth-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche who might be the most talented of the bunch.
Despite a lapse Saturday against Lake Superior State and a challenge upcoming this weekend against Minnesota, the Buckeyes seem likely to rank among the top 15 nationally in scoring defense for a fifth straight season.
"We?re good," Strachan said. "Everybody keeps asking about the team and how good we are. Every day I?m amazed at how talented we are."
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