Men’s Hockey: Entering the Century Club – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
The number 100 is special to people around the world. Whether it’s an elder celebrating their 100th birthday, a company recognizing its 100th year in business or as in Ohio State senior forward Tommy Goebel’s case, tallying your 100th collegiate point, hitting the century mark is nothing to blink an eye at.
With his first of two goals in the 4-3 win over Lake Superior State Jan. 25 in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Goebel entered the century club a week after notching his 99th point against his former team, Michigan State, in Columbus Jan. 18. To date, the fifth-year senior has 106 collegiate points on 29 goals and 24 assists for 53 points as Buckeye and a 21-32-53 ledger while playing as a Spartan (2003-04 and 04-05).
“I totally forgot about it until after the game when Casey (Jones, Ohio State associate head coach) told me,” Goebel, a native of Parma, Ohio, said. “It’s something to be excited about I know my parents are and I’m sure 10 years from now it will be something cool to say I did it. It was especially nice to get it during a win.”
And in a season when every point counts, Goebel, an unassuming hockey player at 5-foot, 8-inches, uses his speed and no-fear approach to the game to silence the critics. This season, the assistant captain has done his share, putting up a team-best 27 points on 17 goals and 10 assists.
Throughout 2007-08, Goebel and his linemates, freshmen John Albert and Sergio Somma, have found a way to score, tallying one-third of Ohio State’s 74 goals and collecting 55 combined points.
“The coaches told us that our first line really needed to step up,” Goebel said. “I think my line of John Albert and Sergio Somma did a great job of stepping it up. We created opportunities (against LSSU) and I happened to be the one in front of the net that got to tap them in.”
A true leader and alternate captain for the squad, Goebel has enjoyed playing this season with the two rookie forwards and has taken the time to show the new guys some tricks of the trade.
“It’s been easy playing with them because although they are freshmen, they don’t play like it,” Goebel said. “They’ve really stepped up their games, especially lately.
The coaches try to put together guys that are working hard and playing well so both Albert and Somma are doing what’s needed to beat out the upperclassmen.
“As one of the older guys, you take guys like Johnny (Albert), who’s from Cleveland, under your wing and try to teach them a few things if you can and keep them positive through the season.”
With only eight regular-season games left wearing the Scarlet and Gray, Goebel leaves collegiate hockey, knowing he is in good company as a member of the 100-point club.
“It’s a cool honor because it means you’re surrounded by good players when you get that far,” Goebel said. “It’s something I’m sure later on in life I’ll look back on and be proud of.”
And although the landmark 100 points has already been reached, the fierce competitor will continue to hunt for a hole in the net, shooting for whatever is open, until the final second of the game clock expires.
by Emily Meyer, Ohio State Athletics Communications
