Right: Ohio State’s men’s hockey coach John Markell prefers to stand during games because his seat is too hot.
Jim Davidson/The-OZone.net Photo
If there was one Buckeye coach with his cheeks firmly planted on the hot seat, it would be Ohio State’s men’s hockey coach, John Markell.
Markell is entering his 14th season as head coach, and since the 1995-96 season, he has guided the Buckeyes to the NCAA Tournament five times, marking the only appearances in the program’s history which included a Frozen Four berth in 1998.
But the problem is under Markell, Ohio State is coming off their third-straight losing campaign and their worst since the 96-97 season. Last year, the Buckeyes finished 11th out of 12 teams in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) with a record of 7-18-3, and were 12-25-4 overall.
Could you imagine Jim Tressel sticking around if the football Buckeyes had three-straight losing seasons?
The CCHA held its annual media day two weeks ago and the league announced the annual preseason polls. Notre Dame was picked first by the coaches, followed by Michigan and Miami, with Ohio State ranked seventh. The media selected the Wolverines as the conference favorite, followed by the Irish and Michigan State, and ranked the Buckeyes ninth.
Just four years ago, Ohio State was 27-11-4 and finished second in the CCHA with a record of 21-5-2, the Buckeyes’ highest finish in more than 20 years. The 27 wins tied for the second-most in program history and helped the team reach the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive year. Ohio State’s win over Michigan State in the CCHA Super Six semifinals put the team in the tournament’s title game for a second year in a row.
That was then, this is now.
The 26-player Ohio State roster is dominated by underclassmen. The squad includes just three seniors and two juniors, who are joined by 13 sophomores and eight freshmen. Last year, at least nine freshmen were regularly in the Ohio State lineup each game.
Peter Boyd, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound sophomore forward, is the Buckeyes’ top returning scorer with 24 points last season. Boyd is also the top returning goal scorer with 6-foot-1, 190-pound sophomore forward Kyle Reed with 10.
Ohio State’s top returning assists leader is 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward John Albert, who had 17 helpers during the 2007-08 campaign.
Along the blue line, the top returning defensemen are 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior Nick Biondo (4 G, 6 A), and 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore Shane Sims (1 G, 10 A) .
Hard-hitting 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior forward Zach Pelletier returns after sitting out all of last season with an ankle injury that required surgery.
Between the pipes, 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior goaltender Joseph Palmer returns after playing in 34 games last season. He had a goals against average of 3.12, a save percentage of .888, and a record of 10-19-4 during the 2007-08 season.
Top newcomers include 6-foot-1, 175-pound freshman forward Zac Dalpe, who was the 45th overall pick by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008 NHL draft, the highest Buckeye draftee since Tom Fritsche went 47th in 2005. Others include 6-foot, 180-pound forward Taylor Stefishen, a fifth-round (136th overall) pick by the Nashville Predators, and 6-foot-1, 203-pound freshman defenseman Matt Bartkowski, a seventh-round (190th overall) selection by the Florida Panthers.
Ohio State has already played its’ only exhibition game on the schedule for 2008-09 season in which the Buckeyes defeated York, 9-3, last Friday at the OSU Ice Rink.
Sims had a goal and two assists, while Albert and sophomore forwards Todd Rudasill and Patrick Schafer each had two assists. Freshman forward Cory Schneider added a goal and an assist.
The Buckeyes begin the regular season portion of the schedule when they host the Miami RedHawks at Value City Arena, Friday night. Both teams will meet again Saturday night at the Steve Cady Arena in Oxford, Ohio. Faceoff for both nights is scheduled for 7:05 p.m, and Saturday’s game will be televised on ONN.
Tags: Buckeye Hockey // Add Comment »