ATHENS, Ohio – Game two of the weekend series between two of the early members of the American Collegiate Hockey Association was played before another jammed to the rafters crowd at Bird Arena on the Campus of Ohio University Saturday night. Penn State completed a sweep of the two game series with a comfortable 4-1 win before the crowd estimated to be around 1600 fans.
On Friday night the two D-1 Central States Collegiate Hockey League foes waged a tough battle as Penn State came away with a 2-1 win. Tonight’s game although less exciting in terms of the score was every bit as intense and the crowd even larger. They witnessed the last regular season ACHA contest between two of the early members of the ACHA. Penn State will move to the NCAA next year and ice a D-1 ice hockey varsity team that will compete in a newly formed Big 10 Ice Hockey conference.
Usual when hockey fans think of collegiate hockey they think of the NCAA and its varsity hockey teams. Approximately 3400 players skate for NCAA sanctioned men and women’s teams. There is however a much larger segment of college hockey that has experienced phenomenal growth over the 20 years since it was first organized. The ACHA sponsors both regular season play and stages a series of playoffs and national championship tournaments in all of its classifications. The teams recruit and attract former junior and high school players who want to continue to play hockey while going to college. Over 10,000 men and women currently play on the ACHA non varsity ice hockey teams across the USA.
There was a bit of déjà vu from Friday night as once again the Ohio University Bobcats got off to a quick start. They grabbed an early 1-0 lead after both teams missed earlier scoring chances. Just 3:11 into the game Duncan Green launched a slap shot waist high from the point that forward Jonathan Pietramala deflected into the Penn State goal. Unfortunately for Ohio University fans that was the only goal the home team would score.
The next real scoring opportunity came when Penn State seemed to have tied the score at the 6:16 mark. A winger was set up beautifully on the near side post but somehow Fedor Dushkin who was so good last night in defeat made a sliding save to rob the shooter. That save did not however stop Penn State from answering the Ohio University goal early.
Penn State forward George Saad picked up his first of two goals in the game on a pretty wrist shot that came immediately after the Nittany Lions won a faceoff to the right of Dushkin. His high shot found all net at the 8:00 minute mark. Eric Steinour drew the lone assist on the tying goal.
Unlike last night’s game this 1-1 tie was quickly broken. Penn State struck again this time off the stick of Justin Kirchhevel who would also score twice in the game. His first goal came off a blast from the top of the far side circle and would end up being the game winning goal. His rocket beat Dushkin cleanly on the glove side high. It was set up by Taylor Holstrom who had both of the PSU goals in Friday night’s game.
The lead was extended to 3-1 in period two as Saad scored his second from Steinour in a penalty filled period. His goal came at 14:36 of the second stanza. Both teams drew a number of minor penalties in the period in addition to one major penalty committed by Ohio University’s Green on a check from behind. Despite their numerous power plays neither team took advantage of any of their power play chances.
Finally, Kirchhevel doused any hope the home team fans had with his second of the contest as Holstrom picked up a second assist on the closeout score that came at the 14:16 mark of the final period. His goal ensured a win by PSU goal tender Mathew Madrazo who stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced. Dushkin faced 35 shots in absorbing his second loss of the weekend.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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