Saturday Recap - Ohio State

Well, unfortunately we left our brooms at home.

The University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs were not exactly as hungry as they were opening night.  The Dogs fell to Ohio State 3 to 2 on Sunday night and split the series with the Buckeyes this weekend.

To a certain extent, we looked like a different team overnight.  Friday night the Dogs came out fighting, hungry and ready to win.  On Saturday, it was a different story.  We looked to be playing down to OSU’s level and it was very difficult to watch.

Ohio State set the tone of the game right out of the gate putting one by Crandall with just a few minutes into the period.  They were flat out more hungry than the Dogs were.  The dogs failed to convert on a 5-minute power play where Travis Statchuck of OSU was ejected for checking from behind.  Also, Brady Hjelle didn’t get the start, freshman Collin Olson got the net start and he played well.  The first period ended with the Dogs down 2 and honestly the score should have been closer.

I will give period number 2 to UMD; we were able to play the period with only 2 minutes in the box.  Joe Basaraba got his second goal of the series and Mike Seidel got his third while our defense was able to keep shots away from Crandall, as he was only fired upon 3 times.

Period 3 started with the game tied at 2.  I was hoping to see a glimpse of that first period energy the Dogs showed on Friday night, but I didn’t get my wish.  OSU’s Max McCormick scored about 7 minutes in, giving OSU the lead and proving they wanted the game more.  The rest of the period was hard to watch.  I know its bad to complain about referees but the Dogs were screwed over a couple of times, especially with a OSU trip in the last 30 seconds of the game in front of the net.  But, the buzzer sounded and the OSU skated out of Duluth avoiding being swept and the Dogs walked back the locker room, tail between their legs.

Photo: Dave Harwig - http://viewthroughmylens.net/

I think the biggest frustration for me to watch on Saturday was the difference in special teams just overnight.   Friday we were able to tic-tac-toe and bury pucks while a man ahead, where as Saturday was a completely different story.  Just setting it up in OSU territory seemed to be a much more difficult task.

The dogs were at least able to play it through and avoid giving up an ending goal when Sandy pulled Crandall so we can skate a man up.  Which by the way, I hate when teams score that ending empty-net goal.

Box Score from WCHA.com

UMD is now 1-1-0 on the year (obviously) and heads to South Bend next weekend to play a Thursday-Friday series against Anders Lee, T.J. Tynan and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who are 2-0-0 thus far beating Maine and Nebraska Omaha.

Bulldog scoring leaders thus far:

Mike Seidel:           3-1-4

Austin Farley:       1-3-4

Caleb Herbert:      0-3-3

Aaron Crandall:    .896-2.52

GO DOGS!!