Abigail Miner/The LanternOhio State sophomore forward Patrick Schafer races a Michigan State defender to the puck during the Nov. 7 game. Ohio State won 4-0 against Robert Morris this weekend.
In light of the Ohio State men’s hockey team’s most recent success, it seems a soccer player might have the best chance of sneaking a puck past goaltender Dustin Carlson.
A kicked puck in the first period, which was disallowed upon review, is all that evaded Carlson’s reach in Friday’s 4-0 defeat of Robert Morris.
The shutout for Carlson, his second in three games, highlighted an otherwise lethargic showing for Ohio State.
Despite their largest margin of victory this season, the Buckeyes’ performance drew the ire of coach John Markell.
“I wasn’t pleased with the game at all,” Markell said. “I thought we were out of focus. In the first period we put too much onus on our goaltending and tried to take the easy way out.”
As he has been the past three games, Carlson was up to the task.
Despite incurring a barrage of shots from Robert Morris in the first period, which staked the Eagles to a 13-5 shot advantage, Carlson kept the Buckeyes even until Hunter Bishop’s goal late in the period.
“He gave us an opportunity to win,” Markell said. “Our guys were a step behind. We put way too much pressure on Dusty, but luckily he gave us an opportunity to bounce back in the second and third periods.”
Senior co-captain Zach Pelletier, who recorded his first goal of the season in the second period, shared the assessment of his team’s performance.
“We came out flat-footed in the first period,” Pelletier said. “We realized what we needed to turn around and we did that and took it to them.”
Beginning with Pelletier’s goal early in the second, the Buckeyes’ exerted their will on the Eagles, extending the lead to 3-0 after Ian Boots’ goal nine seconds before the period’s end.
Freshman Taylor Stefishen capped the scoring in the third with his first career goal.
Markell attributed his reticent praise, in spite of the lopsided score, to his team’s lack of maturity.
Facing an unranked team for the first time in a month, a tempered intensity was evident in the Buckeyes’ locker room.
“Some guys took it so lightly that I had to put them on the bench,” Markell said. “That’s something we have to overcome. There are no games you can take off in college hockey or you’re going to get beat.”
The Buckeyes fired only 17 shots in the game, their lowest total of the season.
“Our top line didn’t have their best game,” Markell said. “They have to start producing more. Right now we’re scoring by committee and that’s the difference.”
C.J. Severyn, in his return to his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., was in the lineup for the first time since Oct. 17. Severyn, along with fellow Pittsburgh natives Sergio Somma and Matt Bartkowski, did not register a point.
James Pallitto can be reached at [email protected].
