[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

HOCKEY: OHIO STATE 5 GUELPH 1
Buckeyes show rust but get plenty of shots in exhibition
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Scott Priestle
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



The Ohio State hockey team kicked off a new season last night with a 5-1 win over Guelph in an exhibition game. It could have been 10-1, which was both good news and bad.
The good news: Despite playing without two of their top playmakers, junior forwards Tom Fritsche and Domenic Maiani, the Buckeyes dominated play and generated numerous scoring chances.
The bad news: They put plenty of pucks on net last season, as well, but too few of them went in. Frustration mounted, and the season disintegrated.
Last night was likely more about rust. For now, at least, it is easy to assume so.
"The finished product, obviously you?re concerned a little bit. But I thought we had good execution tonight," coach John Markell said. "We?re happy with the win. We?re happy we got so many guys in there. Some guys showed us something.
"But a lot of guys just had to get a game back under their belts, and we had to break in some rookies. I wish we had another game here tomorrow night."
The Buckeyes should get Maiani back for the regularseason opener Friday against Lake Superior State. He was held out last night because of what Markell called "a bad bruise." Fritsche has an intestinal disorder and is out indefinitely.
In their absence, the Buckeyes put 47 shots on net in the first two periods while allowing only four shots. They led 3-0 and were 1 of 7 on power plays, reminiscent of last season. Then Sam Campbell and Johan Kroll scored early in the third period to put the game out of reach and any creeping doubts out of their heads.
"If you?re not getting chances, that would be a problem," said junior center Matt McIlvaine, who had a goal and two assists. "We are getting our chances. It?s just a matter of taking advantage of them. When the time comes, guys will bear down and get ?em."
Three of the goals came on rebounds from just in front of the net, including two goals scored 48 seconds apart in the first period. It has been a point of emphasis.
"It was very successful today, even if we could have maybe put a couple more in the net," sophomore winger Corey Elkins said. "We were there."
Fritsche, who is being treated for severe ulcerated colitis, watched from the stands after being released from a Cleveland-area hospital last week. He said he will be examined again this week, and he could soon return to campus full time and begin taking classes.
"But it?s such an unpredictable thing," he said. "You just don?t know."
spriestle@dispatch.com