Posts from January 6, 2008

Once again this past weekend, the OSU men’s hockey team showed its Jekyll and Hyde personality against CCHA Conference foe Alaska in a two game series at Value City Arena. To say that the team showed its youth and immaturity in a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Nanooks on Friday night would be kind. After their inspired play during the Ohio Hockey Classic the previous weekend against Harvard and Miami University, fans could be forgiven for wondering if the Buckeyes had expended all their energy and enthusiasm battling those ranked (and in the case of Miami, top ranked) opponents. To be truthful, it appeared as if the Buckeyes were the team that had just stepped off the plane following a long, overnight trip from Alaska. They seemed to be suffering severe jet lag, as they sleepwalked through most of the game Friday. After giving up an early goal to start the first period, and trailing the Nanooks 1-0 at the end of that stanza, fans watched the Buckeyes come out flat to start the second period, leaving one to wonder what it takes to motivate this group. In the second period the Buckeyes did manage to get on the board with a power play goal by Matt McIlvane assisted by Shane Sims and Peter Boyd. But most of the period was a copy of the first and ended with OSU trailing 2-1.

In the third period, after the Nanooks had scored two goals by the 4:30 mark, the Buckeyes finally showed some fire, and played the remainder of the game with a passion that had been missing earlier. Unfortunately, the vastly improved play by the home team was too little, too late. Despite almost constant pressure on Nanooks’ goaltender Wylie Rogers, and a textbook perfect tick-tack-toe goal by Nick Biondo off assists by Peter Boyd and Patrick Schafer at 11:47, the Buckeyes lost once again on their home ice. With the loss, the Buckeyes fell to 1-8 at Value City Arena, and those in the meager crowd of 2, 698 were left to wonder which OSU team would show up for the second game of the series Saturday night.

Anyone who saw the lackluster effort put forth by the Buckeye icers Friday, yet were brave enough to return the following evening, must have been rubbing their eyes in disbelief. From the opening face-off the Buckeyes skated with the kind of passion and energy that they had played with in the Ohio Hockey Classic, but which had been AWOL the previous night. The Buckeyes were so dominant during the first period that the Nanooks did not get their first shot on goal until less than five minutes remained in the period. When they did finally get on shot through to the OSU goal, however, goaltender Dustin Carlson gave up a rebound, and the Nanooks put it in the net. That goal tied the game as Tom Fritsche had scored his fourth goal of the season with assists to Matt McIlvane and Johann Kroll, earlier in the period. Despite only being tied after outshooting the Nanooks 10-2, the Buckeyes carried over their spirited play into the second and third periods. When Mathieu Picard found the empty net with a minute fifty-six remaining in the third, for his second score of the night, the Buckeyes put the finishing touches on a 5-2 win that gave fans a glimpse of how good these Bucks can be when they put their minds to it. Sergio Somma and Jason DeSatis also scored in the third when the Buckeyes turned a closely fought contest into a comfortable lead.

If the Buckeyes can somehow bottle the energy and passion they played with on Saturday night, they can play with anyone in the country. But until that level of effort becomes the norm, night in and night out, this team will continue to lose games that they have the ability to win. Given that the Buckeyes’ next opponent is the U.S. National Under-18 team, sprinkled with future NHL stars, and the Bucks seem to play their best against better teams, it should be a good game January 11th at Value City Arena. Hopefully, a lot more than the 3,623 fans who went home happy on Saturday night, will be in attendance for the game with the U.S. National team.

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NEW ORLEANS — I will never forget the scene a year ago Tuesday in Glendale, Ariz., especially the look on many of the Ohio State Buckeyes’ faces as they sat forlornly on the sideline of the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Some reflected a dazed look much like a boxer who had been crumpled to his knees. Some appeared to be in shock, as if they had just discovered their girlfriend was cheating on them.

After the final play and after the confetti had fallen and the scoreboard read 41-14, thousands of Florida Gator fans celebrated their way into the parking lot, many tossing verbal scorn to anyone wearing Scarlet and Gray.

“That’s the best the Big Ten has to offer?” I’ll never forget one shouting into the cool Arizona air. “Hell, there are seven or eight teams in the SEC that would beat that team.”

Well, that team is back again.

Back as Big Ten champions.

Back to the nation’s No. 1 ranking.

Back to the national championship game.

And this time, I have a strong feeling things will be different.

For starters, the Buckeyes have used that January 8, 2007, embarrassment as motivation for every off-season workout, practice and game since (with the aberration being the 28-21 loss to Illinois).

They are hungry to play their best against LSU.

Secondly, they match up well against the Tigers. In other words, LSU’s strength on offense plays into Ohio State’s strength on defense. The Tigers will try to run right at Ohio State and mix in play-action passes and a reverse here or there. Les Miles likes to throw in a trick play or here, so expect a halfback pass or a fake punt.

But I expect the Buckeyes to be ready for it all. This time, there is no spread offense or zone-read option to defend. There is no overconfidence to fight.

Another thing that will shock LSU: This Ohio State team is just as fast as the Tigers, no matter what you read or hear on ESPN.

I expect Beanie Wells to have a big game, because Florida, Auburn and Arkansas gashed LSU’s vaunted defense at times.

I expect Jim Tressel to make this game resemble an Ohio State-Michigan game. Win with a strong running game and flawless kicking game. Play field-position football, eat the clock and win a low-scoring game.

Yes, that team will gain redemption Monday night. That team and that program will capture another national championship. That team will beat LSU and stun the national college football critics, who have labeled them too slow and too overrated to be here in the first place.

I’ll go one further. That team will dominate the Tigers with a stifling defensive performance.

Something to the tune of 24-9.

That team, the Ohio State Buckeyes, will be champions again.

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