Well, OSU made a game of it this evening at the ice rink.  If you liked hard
checking and fast skating and a referee who used the "random penalty" method of
calling the game, this was a game for you.
 
Both teams seemed content to skate up and down the rink in the first minutes of
the first period.  Michigan got on the board first with an easy goal in the
first two minutes.  They carried the blue line and just kept passing and
closing in while OSU stood by and admired them.  Result: 1-0 Wolverines.
 
 
At about 8:00 of the first period, referee Piotrowski decided to tkae over the
game by calling a multitude of penalties that left me saying all game, "If you
call that one, why didn't you call the last one like it?"  OSU spent 5:11
consecutively trying to kill off the Michigan power-play.  This stretch
included 50 seconds of 5-3.  OSU came through and killed off the penalties.
This
seemed to give them confidence.  Near the end of the first period, Michigan
allowed OSU freeshman Brian Loney to walk in from the right side of the cage,
and he was able to put the puck home.  He has an amazing ability to nail the
tough-angle shot from the side of the net.
 
The second period was more of the same from Piotrowski as a multitude of
players served time in the box.  Michigan was able to capitalize on two of
their power-plays as OSU's defense broke down both times and allowed Michigan
shooters plenty of time to line up their shot and fire it in.  The first odf
their two second period goals came on a rebound of a hard blast from the point
and the second came when OSU goalie Mike Bales came too far out of the net to
cut down the angle of a Michigan forward who was coming down the right wing.
The forward alertly centered the puck to a teammate who found himself staring
at an empty net.  The UM penalty-kill came up big in this period as they had to
kill of a 5 on 3 and a double minor.  OSU was able to recover a goal late in
the period, finally converting on one of their power-plays.  It was nice to see
though.  The shot was initially off-line and Steve Shields seemed to give up on
it.  He didn't keep his foot on the post and a Buckeye forward camped out next
to him was able to redirect the puck in between the post and Shields' leg.
 
 
The third period was uneventful.  UM put a decent amout of pressure on and
didn't just try to protect their lead.  OSU couldn't mount any pressure at all,
managing only six shots on goal. UM added an empty net goal to ice the game at
4-2.
 
OVERALL:  This was a good outing for the Buckeyes.  At home, they have shown
steady improvement throughout the year, especially in picking up assignments
and keeping the ice balanced and being aware of where their opponents are.
However, one of the things the team talked about in their recent meeting was
staying away from dumb penalties and trying to keep their woeful penalty kill
unit off the ice.  They did not accomplish that goal this evening as special
teams were definitely the difference.  I do not understand why Coach Welsh was
so hesitant to pull his goaltender at the end of the game.  The team was not
mounting pressure and Mike was doing the team no good by remaining on the ice.
Nonetheless, it wasn't until about the 19:15 mark that he was pulled.  A
definite error in strategy in my opinion.
 
To answer a UM comment made about Jerry Welsh just recently, I have already
stated that I believe he should be fired.  I don't like having to live with him
as head coach either, but I can't do much about it.  I will admit, he gets no
help from OSU Athletics in building this program, but I see a lot of OSU's
problems in games as being the fault of their coach, not a fault of talent.
While it is true that they are not as talented as many other teams, that
does not excuse the
horrendous discipline they show on the ice, especially on defense.  The coach
must have better control.
                           I also believe that after 17 years as head coach of
a program, Welsh would have enough influence and care enough about his program
to get more help from the OSU administration than he does.  It is apparent from
the fact that the OSU facilities are the same as they have been for the last
twenty years with no major improvements (We got new boards this year, yeah!)
that Welsh is content with the status quo and has no intention of moving the
program in any particular direction.  If it continues to slide like it is now,
Welsh will guide this team into club status and out of existence.
--
Dave [log in to unmask]
Cornell '91 OSU Med '95
Let's Go Red!