Men’s Hockey Heads West – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 14, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s hockey team travels to Omaha, Neb., for the first time in program history this weekend. The Buckeyes (15-11-2, 12-8-2 CCHA) sit in fifth place in the CCHA, one point behind the Mavericks (17-12-3, 12-9-3 CCHA), who are tied for third place.
The squads meet at 8:05 p.m. (EST) Friday and Saturday at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb.
The Broadcasts
The games at Nebraska-Omaha can be heard live on WOSU (820 AM) and on-line at ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Herb Howenstine will call the action while former Buckeye Gord Rivington (1982-84) will provide the color commentary.
The League Standings
The Buckeyes are in fifth place in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings with 26 points, one point behind Nebraska-Omaha and Miami who are tied for third with 27 points each. Ohio State and Miami each have played 22 games, while UNO has competed in 24. Michigan State (23 games) is in first with 37 points, followed by Michigan (32 points, 23 games). Western Michigan (23 games) and Northern Michigan (24 games) are tied for sixth place, two points behind the Buckeyes. The top five teams earn home-ice advantage in the first round of the CCHA playoffs.
We’re In
The Buckeyes clinched a spot in the 2001 CCHA Playoffs over the weekend. The squad did not advance to the postseason a year ago, breaking a streak of 17-consecutive appearances in the CCHA tourney.
The OSU-UNO Series
The Buckeyes and Mavericks met for the first time last season, UNO’s first as a member of the CCHA. At Value City Arena last season, the Buckeyes posted a 5-2 win the first night (Nov. 19, 1999) before the squads tied, 2-2, the next night.
A Contrast
The Buckeyes’ roster contains 10 freshmen and two seniors. In contrast, Nebraska-Omaha has 11 seniors and seven rookies on its squad.
Something Has to Give
The Buckeyes are 6-0-0 in the first game of their two-game road series this season. The Mavericks are 8-0-0 in the opening game of their two-game home series. Scouting The Mavericks
Sophomore David Brisson leads Nebraska-Omaha with 33 points, on 15 goals and 18 assists. Junior Jeff Hoggan ranks second with 22 (8-14) points. In goal, freshman Dan Ellis has played 31 games, posting a 2.58 goals-against average and .910 saves percentage.
Offense and Defense
UNO ranks fifth in conference games, eighth overall, in team offense with 2.96 and 2.84 goals per game, respectively. On defense, the squad is sixth in league play (3.00 goals allowed per game) and fourth in all games (2.72 gapg).
UNO’s Last Outing
The Mavericks are coming off a 1-0-1 weekend on the road at Western Michigan. The squad defeated WMU, 2-1, the first night before the teams played to a 3-all tie in the second outing.
The UNO Coach
Mike Kemp is in his fourth season at the helm for the Mavericks. A 1975 graduate of Gustavus Adolphus, he served as an assistant coach for his alma mater for five years. He also spent time as an assistant at Illinois-Chicago (1 year) and Wisconsin (14 years). He was the runner-up for the 2000 CCHA Coach of the Year Award as well as a finalist for the Spenser Penrose Trophy as the national coach of the year.
An Impressive Showing
Senior Jean-Francois Dufour led the Buckeyes with five points against UNO last season, including a career-high four-point outing, on two goals and two assists, in the first game.
A Homecoming
Buckeye freshman Paul Caponigri spent three years (1997-00) living in Omaha while playing for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League. He led the Lancers in scoring last season with 61 points (28-33), including eight game-winning goals. He is the Lancers’ all-time leader in games played (157).
A Homecoming, Part II
Buckeye sophomore Eric Skaug also was a member of the Omaha Lancers, playing there from 1997-99. In his last season with the squad, he was named the team’s top defenseman.
Former Teammates
Ohio State goalie Peter Wishloff and Nebraska-Omaha defenseman Greg Zanon were teammates on the South Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.
OSU’s Last Outing
The Buckeyes are coming off a two-game split with Miami, with each team winning in the other squad’s building. The RedHawks posted a 4-1 win Friday (Feb. 9). Dave Steckel tallied the lone goal for the Buckeyes.
The next night, Miguel Lafleche scored with 11.8 seconds remaining in overtime, assisted by Nick Ganga and Pete Broccoli, to lead the Buckeyes a 4-3 win. Mike Betz made 37 saves in goal for Ohio State. Paul Caponigri, Scott May, and Dave Steckel also tallied for the Buckeyes. It was the Buckeyes second-consecutive win in Goggin Arena after an 18-game winless streak.
To the End
Four of the Buckeyes’ wins this season have come in overtime. Of those wins, all four game-winners have been scored with less than one minute remaining in the overtime period. At Miami (Feb. 10), Miguel Lafleche scored with 12 seconds remaining for OSU’s 4-3 victory. Pete Broccoli scored with 26 seconds left in overtime against Bowling Green (Nov. 19). On the road at Lake Superior, Dave Steckel tallied with 31 seconds left to give the Buckeyes the win. At Maine (Oct. 27), Scott May scored with 48 seconds remaining to lift OSU over the Black Bears, 3-2.
Happy 100th
Ohio State head coach John Markell posted his 100th career win with the Buckeyes’ victory over Miami.
High-Scoring Rookies …
Three Buckeye freshmen ranked among the Top 4 rookie scorers in the CCHA. WMU’s Jeff Campbell ranks first with 37 points (1.28 points per game). OSU’s Dave Steckel is second with 31 points (1.29 ppg), followed by R.J. Umberger (1.30 ppg) and Paul Caponigri (.96 ppg)
And A Senior
Ohio State senior Jean-Francois Dufour ranks fourth among seniors in the CCHA in scoring with 31 points. WMU’s David Gove is first with 52 points, followed by Steve Rymsha of WMU (42 points) and Notre Dame’s Dan Carlson (36).
At the Helm
John Markell is in his sixth full season at the helm for the Buckeyes. He has led Ohio State to NCAA Tournament appearances in two of the last three seasons, including a berth in the Frozen Four in 1998. Markell, a four-year letterwinner at Bowling Green and one of only five CCHA players to earn first team all-conference honors three times, has a career record of 100-110-19.
Improving on the PP
The Buckeyes have scored a power-play goal in eight of their last nine outings, improving their season percentage to 18.2 percent.
Ohio State’s PP in the last eight games: 1/6 WMU 1/8 1/12 UM 1/7 1/13 UM 1/5 1/19 ND 1/3 1/20 ND 1/5 2/2 ND 2/7 2/3 ND 3/7 2/9 Miami 0/4 2/10 Miami 1/4 9 games, 11 goals/50 chances (22%)
The Leaders
Jean-Francois Dufour and Dave Steckel lead the Buckeyes with 31 points each. Steckel ranks first with 15 goals, while Dufour leads the squad with 19 assists. R.J. Umberger is third with 30 points, on 12 goals and 18 assists.
Everything Else
Jean-Francois Dufour ranks first for the Buckeyes in power play goals with a career-high seven and in shots with 85. Dave Steckel leads the Buckeyes in plus/minus (+13), shooting percentage (26.3 percent), penalties (22) and penalty minutes (60). Mike McCormick, Paul Caponigri, Nick Ganga and Steckel each rank first with two game-winning goals.
Hot Shots
Both Dave Steckel and Paul Caponigri have scored on more than 20 percent of their shots this season. Steckel has 15 goals on 57 shots (26.3 percent), while Caponigri is second with 11 goals on 47 shots (23.4 percent).
The Nation’s Leaders
The Buckeyes are ranked in the Top 20 in the NCAA in three categories. The squad is 14th in scoring offense (3.54 goals per game), 15th in scoring margin (+.68 goals per game) and 19th in winning percentage (.571).
Posting Pluses
Freshman Scott May has posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in six of his last seven games. In that span, he has been +1 or better in five outings, including +1 in OSU’s last game at Miami.
Streaks
Scoring (3 or more consecutive games) None Plus/minus of even or better Daymen Bencharski 22 games* Reed Whiting 7 games T.J. Latorre 5 games Paul Caponigri 4 games Dave Steckel 4 games *Has not had a minus rating this season
The Ratings Are In
Ohio State freshman R.J. Umberger was the fourth-rated North American, and top collegiate, prospect in the NHL Central Scouting Services Mid-Season Rankings. Teammate Dave Steckel is ranked No. 25, the fifth collegiate prospect in the rankings.
Consistency
The Buckeyes have earned at least two points in nine-of-10 conference two-game series this season. The squad earned four points at Lake Superior and vs. Notre Dame (2-0), three points at Ferris State and at Notre Dame (1-0-1) and two points vs. UAF (1-1), vs. Bowling Green (1-1), vs. Michigan (1-1), at Northern Michigan (1-1) at WMU (1-1) and vs. Miami (1-1).
Home and Away
So far this season, the Buckeyes have posted a mark of 7-6-0 at home in Value City Arena. In road games, the squad is 8-3-2.
In the Rankings
Dave Steckel is tied for 20th in the NCAA in goals per game with .63.
Game-Winners
Dave Steckel and Jean-Francois Dufour lead the Buckeyes with six points each on game-winning goals. Steckel has tallied two goals and four assists, while Dufour has a goal and five game-winning helpers.
Watch the Wall
The Buckeyes will be featured on Wall-to-Wall Sports, a weekly sports show on WBNS 10-TV. The show airs at 11:35 p.m. Sunday on Channel 10 in Columbus.
A Tough Road
According to the CCHA’s release, the Buckeyes have the toughest schedule remaining in the conference. Ohio State’s opponents (Nebraska-Omaha, Michigan State and Miami) have a combined winning percentage of .694.
A Hot Streak
R.J. Umberger and Dave Steckel are tied for fifth among conference scorers in points in the last four weeks. Each Buckeye has posted 10 points in six games. Mike Cammalleri of Michigan ranks first with 13 points in eight contests.
Outstanding Rookies
The Buckeyes lead the conference with four CCHA Rookie of the Week honors so far this season. Dave Steckel is a two-time honoree, while Mike Betz and R.J. Umberger earned the award once each.
The Bucks in the CCHA
Ohio State ranks third overall, and fourth in conference games, in team offense with 3.54 and 3.23 goals per game, respectively. On defense, the Buckeyes ranks fifth in both conference (2.82) and overall (2.86) play. The squad is third in league penalty killing (84.6), fifth overall (83.9) and ranks fifth in power play percentage in conference games (18.9), sixth overall (18.2)
In OT
The Buckeyes have more overtime goals (four) than any other team in the CCHA. Michigan State ranks second with two overtime game-winners, while eight others have won one game in the extra stanza.
The PK
Ohio State has held its opponents scoreless on the power play in five of the last eight games. Over that span, the squad has stopped 37-of-41 opportunities (90.2 percent).
Ohio State’s PK in the last eight games: 1/12 vs. Michigan 8/8 1/13 vs. Michigan 4/5 1/19 at Notre Dame 6/7 1/20 at Notre Dame 2/2 2/2 vs. Notre Dame 6/6 2/3 vs. Notre Dame 4/6 2/9 vs. Miami 3/3 2/10 at Miami 4/4
A First
Sophomore defenseman Pete Broccoli had the first multiple-point game of his career when he posted two assists in the Buckeyes’ win at Miami.
Up Next
The Buckeyes return to Value City Arena to face No. 1-ranked Michigan State Friday-Saturday, Feb. 23-24. The squads will meet at 7:35 p.m. Friday (Feb. 23) and at 7:05 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 24). The series will mark the first time the Spartans have played in Value City Arena.
