Ice Lions’ fate may rest in Ohio

By MICHAEL YODER
Collegian Staff Writer

A showdown this weekend in Columbus, Ohio may decide the fate of the season for the Penn State Div. II Ice Lions.

At 5:45 p.m. both today and tomorrow, the Ice Lions (8-6-2) will take on a struggling but dangerous Ohio State team on its home ice.

"We are looking at Ohio State as a top-level team," Penn State coach Mo Stroemel said. "We're taking them very seriously."

Ohio State has struggled all season, amassing a 1-15-1 record. But even though the Buckeyes' record may be deplorable, the evidence is deceiving. Ohio State's schedule has included top-ranked teams such as Miami (Ohio), Ohio University and last year's Div. II champion, Life University.

"You look at the teams (Ohio State) played," Stroemel said, "and you can tell they are still a good hockey team."

This season the Buckeyes are playing with a team made up of a large number of underclassmen and no seniors. Despite its youth and inexperience, Ohio State still has standout players with offensive weapons and size. Freshman forward Ryan Kravetz leads the team with 11 goals and six assists, and sophomore forward Kevin Kaselak adds bulk, measuring in at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds.

In past seasons, Ohio State has played tough games against Penn State, often splitting the weekend series with one win apiece. Ohio State usually brings a very physical style of play to the ice that can wear an opponent down.

"Ohio State is faster, bigger and more physical than most teams we face," Stroemel said. "They can really wear you out if you get trapped in the corners."

For the third straight weekend, the Ice Lions will be entering the games with at least one player missing. Defenseman Kim Cautreels was suspended for five games, resulting from an altercation in last Sunday's game against Rutgers, and will not play. Cautreels has been the backbone of Penn State's defense all year, and the loss may prove devastating.

"Our defense is already short," captain Dan Horowitz said. "Losing Kim for five games is a huge loss for us."

To compensate for the loss of Cautreels, some offensive players, including forward Frank Fisher, may be moved to defense to bolster its numbers. In practice this week, the Ice Lions concentrated on defense and floor checking, emphasizing the importance of shutting down the offensive zone.

Not only is Penn State lacking a sufficient number of players, many of those players are also dealing with injuries. In the face of a possible serious setback, Horowitz has pledged to step up his own performance to help the team.

"I'm not going to let us lose," Horowitz said. "I have a lot of confidence in the ability of this team, and I think we can accomplish some great things the rest of this season."

Even though they enter the weekend banged up, short of numbers and not having swept a weekend series since November, the Ice Lions believe two wins will seal a berth to nationals in Provo, Utah.

"If we win both games," Stroemel said, "we should be OK as rankings go. We'll just have to wait and see if we make it."