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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
MEN?S HOCKEY OSU
At age 24, old guy does whatever it takes
Anderson trying to make most of chance to play
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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At 24, Bryce Anderson is the oldest player on the Ohio State hockey team, seven years older than freshman goalie Nick Filion.
He relishes the role ? from the grandpa-get-your-cane jokes to the life lessons he can impart ? and he came about it honestly.
After graduating from high school in 2000, Anderson played three seasons of junior hockey in his home state of Iowa just to get a chance to walk on at Ohio State.
He paid out-ofstate tuition and his dues on the fourth line as a freshman before getting a scholarship and a bigger role on the team.
"It?s always been that way," Anderson said. "Coming up through juniors, I always was forced to make the team in August and September.
"You learn you have to do those less-than-glamorous things if you want to be a part of the team and get your foot in the door."
Because of that history, Anderson did not flinch when OSU coach John Markell put him on the fourth line to begin this season and used that line sparingly, mostly to kill penalties and for a key defensive shift late in periods. Nor did he balk last Saturday when Markell moved him to defense in place of Tyson Strachan, who was scratched. Anderson played sparingly in five-onfive situations but returned to center on the penalty kill.
"He?s got that versatility that is great for our hockey team," Markell said. "And he doesn?t care where he plays. That?s what we need."
An injury to winger Tommy Goebel has opened more playing time for Anderson as a winger on the third line, but it hasn?t changed his role, nor Markell?s use of his role players.
In an effort to create more offense, Markell plans to rely heavily on his top lines in five-on-five and power-play situations and use his other players for grunt work.
"I?m taking a page out of what Ron Mason used to do when I played at Bowling Green," Markell said. "I never killed a penalty. I would save all my energy for offense, and we were just as proud of the guys going out and blocking shots and killing penalties and all that. That was their job and I had my job. I think when you get that tagging off and guys are fresh, I think we?ll be better for it."
The Buckeyes killed all nine power plays in splitting two games last weekend at Northern Michigan. John Dingle sparked a 4-2 win Saturday with a short-handed goal. Even in the ugly losses to Minnesota a week before, a fourth-line player provided the biggest jolt, when junior Zach Pelletier leveled Minnesota defenseman Derek Peltier in the second period of the second game.
"Sometimes you have to swallow your pride a little bit," Anderson said. "I have been a part of great teams in the past and everybody had their own role, whether it be killing penalties or scoring goals.
"Regardless if it?s me or if it?s another guy in that (fourth-line) role, it?s going to be important that guys realize that is important ?playing well defensively, blocking shots or whatever it may be. Preserving leads is just as important as scoring goals."
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
OHIO STATE HOCKEY
With pain gone, DeSantis is flourishing
Defenseman leads team in scoring
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Ohio State defenseman Jason DeSantis arrived at practice every day last season hoping for it to be the day the pain in his side wouldn?t reappear. Then he would try to accelerate or turn sharply, and the ache returned, along with the frustrating awareness that his hockey skills were diminished.
"It?s almost like a broken arm would have been better," he said. "This is your core. You do everything with your abs."
DeSantis missed 15 games in the middle of the season, then played through the pain for the final 15. He finished with two goals and four assists, and lack of offense doomed the Buckeyes to a 15-19-5 record and an early exit from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament. Shortly thereafter, De-Santis had surgery to repair a sports hernia on his left side.
Eight games into this season, the only discomfort DeSantis feels is the general ache of using muscles that went unused for six months. He leads the team with seven assists and eight points, including a goal and four assists on the power play.
Though the Buckeyes continue to struggle, the power play has been more productive this season and DeSantis has been a revelation.
"He has shown a presence that he always felt he possessed, but it was maybe inhibited by injuries," coach John Markell said. "You need that kind of presence back there on the blue line, especially on the power play."
Specifically, Markell said, DeSantis has been more patient with the puck and is taking smarter shots. The power play has been at its best when defensemen are getting shots on goal and the forwards are in position for redirections or rebounds. But too often last season opponents were able to block the shots from the point before they reached the goaltender.
"You have to score on the guy in front of you and the goalie," Markell said. "(DeSantis) is doing a lot better job of reading that, keeping his head up. And he doesn?t hurt himself with his defensive play. When you can play well in your own end and give us a little extra in the offensive end, that?s what you need."
DeSantis has joined senior captain Sean Collins on the top defensive pair. Seniors Tyson Strachan and Matt Waddell have struggled and freshman Kevin Montgomery is experiencing the usual growing pains, so DeSantis and Collins are getting significant ice time.
"I?ve been playing way more offensive, just to what my potential is," DeSantis said. "Last year, being hurt, I didn?t have the chance to give everything I had. It was tough playing through an injury.
"This year I?m jumping in the play more, as much as I can, just looking for opportunities to score and help the team."
DeSantis said he felt discomfort in his left side early last season and tried to play through it, figuring it would subside after a week or so. Instead, it got worse. He rejoined the lineup after injuries took out a few of his teammates.
"I didn?t have too much confidence because of my injury, and that?s something I have going right now," DeSantis said. "I?m just trying to prove I can be on the power play and create stuff for the team."
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Dispatch
MEN?S COLLEGE HOCKEY
Consistency is OSU goal
Markell tries to find what works
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Since sweeping consecutive series from Lake Superior State and Notre Dame early last season, the Ohio State men?s hockey team has split or been swept in its past 11 weekend series against conference opponents.
At first glance, it is not surprising, given the balance in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Certainly there will be times, such as two weeks ago at Northern Michigan, when the Buckeyes play well on consecutive nights but run into a hot goalie or a little bad luck and settle for a split.
More troubling, though, for the Buckeyes is their penchant for playing at full effort only once a weekend. Witness the following comments, each taken from an OSU player or coach in the past year:
? "I had too many guys off their A game tonight."
? "I think (the opponent) had more desire to get a win than us tonight."
? "We were sluggish from the goalie on out tonight."
? "We can?t ever assume again that they get it, because they?ve shown us they don?t."
The Buckeyes enjoyed considerable success two years ago, when they were led by deep freshman and sophomore classes. They had three winning streaks of at least four games and did not go winless for more than two. Since then, they have had a five-game winning streak and a three-game winning streak but otherwise have not won consecutive games.
The freshmen and sophomores who led Ohio State into the NCAA Tournament are now juniors and seniors. Rather than peaking, they are struggling.
"Maybe we didn?t respond the right way to being ranked so high last year," senior defenseman Sean Collins said. "We lost a string of games we shouldn?t have lost, and I think everyone kind of started secondguessing each other. This year, we?re trying to find that team we were two years ago, and I don?t think we?re far off. We realize it?s an attitude, it?s mental, it?s preparation."
Coach John Markell and his staff have adjusted the practice schedule in an attempt to get a more consistent effort. Rather than work the players hard early in the week and taper off late in the week, the coaches have opted for short-but-intense practices throughout.
Markell also has used the biggest hammer any coach has: playing time. Seniors Tyson Strachan and Dave Barton and junior Sam Campbell, who were regulars last season, have been scratched at times.
"There are a lot of coaches out there that consider us a tough team, a hard team to play against," Markell said. "I just think that if we?re going to take the next step, we have to be even better at it.
"We have to get everybody engaging (in battles for the puck) with a purpose. Some guys are just there, and they can?t be. We can?t have any breaks in the chain. I can?t emphasize it enough. The rest should take care of itself when you are playing that way, with that spirit and intent."
MEN?S COLLEGE HOCKEY
Consistency is OSU goal
Markell tries to find what works
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Since sweeping consecutive series from Lake Superior State and Notre Dame early last season, the Ohio State men?s hockey team has split or been swept in its past 11 weekend series against conference opponents.
At first glance, it is not surprising, given the balance in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Certainly there will be times, such as two weeks ago at Northern Michigan, when the Buckeyes play well on consecutive nights but run into a hot goalie or a little bad luck and settle for a split.
More troubling, though, for the Buckeyes is their penchant for playing at full effort only once a weekend. Witness the following comments, each taken from an OSU player or coach in the past year:
? "I had too many guys off their A game tonight."
? "I think (the opponent) had more desire to get a win than us tonight."
? "We were sluggish from the goalie on out tonight."
? "We can?t ever assume again that they get it, because they?ve shown us they don?t."
The Buckeyes enjoyed considerable success two years ago, when they were led by deep freshman and sophomore classes. They had three winning streaks of at least four games and did not go winless for more than two. Since then, they have had a five-game winning streak and a three-game winning streak but otherwise have not won consecutive games.
The freshmen and sophomores who led Ohio State into the NCAA Tournament are now juniors and seniors. Rather than peaking, they are struggling.
"Maybe we didn?t respond the right way to being ranked so high last year," senior defenseman Sean Collins said. "We lost a string of games we shouldn?t have lost, and I think everyone kind of started secondguessing each other. This year, we?re trying to find that team we were two years ago, and I don?t think we?re far off. We realize it?s an attitude, it?s mental, it?s preparation."
Coach John Markell and his staff have adjusted the practice schedule in an attempt to get a more consistent effort. Rather than work the players hard early in the week and taper off late in the week, the coaches have opted for short-but-intense practices throughout.
Markell also has used the biggest hammer any coach has: playing time. Seniors Tyson Strachan and Dave Barton and junior Sam Campbell, who were regulars last season, have been scratched at times.
"There are a lot of coaches out there that consider us a tough team, a hard team to play against," Markell said. "I just think that if we?re going to take the next step, we have to be even better at it.
"We have to get everybody engaging (in battles for the puck) with a purpose. Some guys are just there, and they can?t be. We can?t have any breaks in the chain. I can?t emphasize it enough. The rest should take care of itself when you are playing that way, with that spirit and intent."
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Dispatch
No defense for Buckeyes
Markell keeps team around after loss to watch video
Friday, November 10, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Kenny Bernard of Ohio State gets by Mark Letestu of Western Michigan and scores on goaltender Riley Gill in the first period.
Midway through the third period last night, Ohio State freshman goalie Joseph Palmer got caught out of the net and turned the puck over. His teammates scrambled to cover the crease and stopped two shots before Palmer crawled back into position and made a sprawling save.
It was an impressive bit of improvisation by the six OSU players on the ice. And 30 seconds later, it was a moot point, as the Buckeyes turned the puck over at center ice and Western Michigan barreled in for a breakaway goal.
So it went for Ohio State. For every highlight, there was at least one mistake. Despite twice leading by two goals, the Buckeyes stumbled to an 8-5 loss before a few hundred fans in Value City Arena.
There was plenty of room in the stands to spread out, and too much room in the OSU defensive zone for Western Michigan to operate. It was the fourth time in nine games Ohio State allowed six or more goals, a troubling statistic considering the Buckeyes? experience on the blue line and reputation for defensive excellence.
"Did I think I was going to be talking about our defense? No," a frustrated coach John Markell said. "What would make anybody think that? We?ve got to keep working with them, though. We?re not in a position to trade them or call guys up from the minors. I still believe in them, and I believe in this team. It?s concerning, though, where they?re at after nine games."
Markell kept the players in Value City Arena after the game to watch video. They will skate in the Ohio Expo Center today to prepare for the rematch there tonight.
"You take it as a learning experience," senior forward Kenny Bernard said. "There are definitely things we can work off, things we can keep. Tonight, we worked hard, but maybe not for 60 minutes."
Bernard scored two short-handed goals, the first pretty and the second gritty. Andrew Schembri had two goals and an assist. Corey Elkins scored the first points of his career with a goal and an assist.
But the Buckeyes committed 10 penalties and allowed four power-play goals. They wasted leads of 3-1 and 4-2. Palmer allowed seven goals on 24 shots and was replaced by fellow freshman Nick Filion for the final 10 minutes.
"We have two young guys back there," Markell said. "Maybe we want to play a different way, but it?s what we?ve got. We have two young guys, and we have to help them out."
Palmer had little chance on a few of the goals. Kevin Labatte scored the momentum-shifting goal in the second period when three Western Michigan players charged the net on a power play and Labatte knocked in a rebound. Later in the period, with Western Michigan on a power play, Chris Clackson set up at the right post and defenseman Tyler Ludwig fed him with a perfect pass from the left point; Clackson redirected it into the net to give the Broncos a 5-4 lead.
In all, the Broncos scored five straight goals after falling behind 4-2.
No defense for Buckeyes
Markell keeps team around after loss to watch video
Friday, November 10, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Midway through the third period last night, Ohio State freshman goalie Joseph Palmer got caught out of the net and turned the puck over. His teammates scrambled to cover the crease and stopped two shots before Palmer crawled back into position and made a sprawling save.
It was an impressive bit of improvisation by the six OSU players on the ice. And 30 seconds later, it was a moot point, as the Buckeyes turned the puck over at center ice and Western Michigan barreled in for a breakaway goal.
So it went for Ohio State. For every highlight, there was at least one mistake. Despite twice leading by two goals, the Buckeyes stumbled to an 8-5 loss before a few hundred fans in Value City Arena.
There was plenty of room in the stands to spread out, and too much room in the OSU defensive zone for Western Michigan to operate. It was the fourth time in nine games Ohio State allowed six or more goals, a troubling statistic considering the Buckeyes? experience on the blue line and reputation for defensive excellence.
"Did I think I was going to be talking about our defense? No," a frustrated coach John Markell said. "What would make anybody think that? We?ve got to keep working with them, though. We?re not in a position to trade them or call guys up from the minors. I still believe in them, and I believe in this team. It?s concerning, though, where they?re at after nine games."
Markell kept the players in Value City Arena after the game to watch video. They will skate in the Ohio Expo Center today to prepare for the rematch there tonight.
"You take it as a learning experience," senior forward Kenny Bernard said. "There are definitely things we can work off, things we can keep. Tonight, we worked hard, but maybe not for 60 minutes."
Bernard scored two short-handed goals, the first pretty and the second gritty. Andrew Schembri had two goals and an assist. Corey Elkins scored the first points of his career with a goal and an assist.
But the Buckeyes committed 10 penalties and allowed four power-play goals. They wasted leads of 3-1 and 4-2. Palmer allowed seven goals on 24 shots and was replaced by fellow freshman Nick Filion for the final 10 minutes.
"We have two young guys back there," Markell said. "Maybe we want to play a different way, but it?s what we?ve got. We have two young guys, and we have to help them out."
Palmer had little chance on a few of the goals. Kevin Labatte scored the momentum-shifting goal in the second period when three Western Michigan players charged the net on a power play and Labatte knocked in a rebound. Later in the period, with Western Michigan on a power play, Chris Clackson set up at the right post and defenseman Tyler Ludwig fed him with a perfect pass from the left point; Clackson redirected it into the net to give the Broncos a 5-4 lead.
In all, the Broncos scored five straight goals after falling behind 4-2.
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ORD_Buckeye
Wrong glass, Sir.
This is getting to be sad. Two years ago, we seemed on the brink of consistently attracting top NHL-bound talent and consistently competing at the level of Minnesota, Michigan or Wisconsin. Then it all fell apart. Last year's season was dismal, and this year isn't looking much better.
What the hell happened? The football program has never been better. Men's and women's basketball are pre-season picks as Big Ten champs and ranked top 5, we've become a consistent top 10 finisher in the Athletic Director's Cup. Why can't we get some consistency in hockey?
What the hell happened? The football program has never been better. Men's and women's basketball are pre-season picks as Big Ten champs and ranked top 5, we've become a consistent top 10 finisher in the Athletic Director's Cup. Why can't we get some consistency in hockey?
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BuckeyeStu
Junior
If things don't turn around and this season ends up like last year, then it is time to find a new coaching staff. No excuses. Players are supposed to get better as they get older, not worse.
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