Ohio split its two-game series against defending national champion Oakland last weekend, beating the Grizzlies 3-2 Friday before falling for the first time at home 3-2 Saturday.
The Bobcats came out fast on the defending champs Friday, as Dave Fitzgerald and Ryan Tessmer scored power-play goals within the first eight minutes of the game. Oakland’s Kevin Kranker scored a power-play goal before the end of the first.
Brent Cooper tied the game for the Grizzlies (4-2) midway through the second period.
“We came out like gang-busters early,” Ohio coach Dan Morris said. “They played a good game to get the game tied up.”In the third, Ohio couldn’t score on a five-minute power play after Oakland’s Todd Orlando received a checking from behind penalty and a game misconduct. The Bobcats got another shot with 1:03 remaining when Oakland took hooking and game-misconduct penalties, giving Ohio a 5-on-3 advantage. Billy Hemann tipped in Dave Moyer’s shot with 18 seconds remaining to win the game for Ohio.
“We snuck out with that one,” Hemann said. “We kind of fell into a lull and let them get two back, and we had to battle all the way back. I got lucky there at the end, got a nice little tip and the rest is history.”
Ohio scored first again Saturday when Jim Roach buried a wrist shot in the net from the slot at 10:57 in the first period. Oakland jumped on the Bobcats in the second on goals by Jarrett Samp and Tony Yearego.
Ohio (5-3) knotted the game up at 16:46 in the second period when Jim Fuhs converted on an Ohio power play. The game remained tied until 12:29 in the third, when a Bobcat turnover allowed Oakland’s Garrett Kondratek to score the game-winning goal. Despite playing 6-on-4 for the last minute, Ohio couldn’t even the score, suffering its first home loss of the year.
“The name of the game was capitalization,” Roach said. “It was a total breakdown, it shouldn’t have happened. They capitalized, we didn’t. We have to start capitalizing on our opportunities.”
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