At the Ice Rink in Columbus Tuesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes knew that
the final playoff spot was slipping away for them.  They are in 9th in the
CCHA, trailing 8th place Ferris State by 5 points.  The team came out and
impressed the half-dozen NHL scouts present at the game to watch the 17 draft
picks on the Michigan team play (OSU has 2, with frosh Brian Loney projected as
a third round pick in the next draft).
 
OSU struck at the :28 and 1:04 marks of the first period for a stunning 2-0
lead with just over a minute gone in the game.  However, dumb penalties and
OSU's inability to hold a lead of any kind would do them in again.  Michigan
showed why they are one of the top 5 teams in the nation as they overcame the
early deficit with 2 second period goals and a third period goal scored with
just 4:02 left in regulation.
 
The second Buckeye tally was a disputed one as OSU forward Mike Merriman fell
on goaltender Steve Shields as Brian Riedel's shot went into the net.  Shields'
protests were to no avail, and he stunned Wolverines faced a 2-0 hole.
 
OSU now has a big weekend coming up as they play 2 games at Ferris State.  If
they are to keep alive their streak of 9 consecutive years in the CCHA
playoffs, they must win both games and narrow Ferris's lead over them to 1.
 
QUOTES OF THE GAME
 
"Ohio State can't afford moral victories."--Columbus Dispatch
 
"We can't afford defeats either."--OSU coach, Jerry Welsh (Very good, Jerry,
you'll make a fine coach someday)
 
WELSH ON THE UPCOMING FERRIS STATE SERIES
 
"It [the loss to UM] puts us in a bit of an unrealistic situation of what we
have to do on the road, so that's what we've got to do."  (What do you have to
do that's unrealistic, Jerry.  Win two games on the road against the 8th place
team in the conference?  Maybe you won't be that good a coach after all.)
 
 
"I was trying to figure out why we weren't ready to play."--Steve Shields (UM
goalie)
 
"We've had more trouble holding leads than buiding them."--Jerry Welsh.
 
At least coach Welsh is observant.  Sctually, that last quote may be the most
intelligent thing he has said in print all year.
 
 
--
Dave [log in to unmask]
Cornell '91 OSU Med '95
Let's Go Red!
"When we ordered the uniforms, the Soviet Union still existed."  CIS delegation
head, Boris Bristov, on why the CIS team will march in the Olympics wearing
jackets that have CCCP printed on them.