IU hockey struggles in pair of losses at No. 4 Ohio

Coming off a series split with the Kent State Golden Flashes, the IU men’s hockey team was back on the road last weekend traveling to Athens, Ohio.

The Hoosiers had an upset in mind because waiting for them in Athens was the No. 4-ranked Ohio Bobcats.

“They were a fast-paced team that went back and forth very quickly both games,” junior defender Mack Shaughnessy said.

Shaugnessy said IU was not ready for Ohio. The Hoosiers lost both games with a
combined score of 13-1.

The team was shut out 7-0 Friday for the third time of the season.

Saturday showed little improvement, and the Hoosiers fell 6-1. This weekend keeps IU at the bottom of the Central States Division with 10 conference losses.

Junior Erik Skjodt scored IU’s only goal this weekend. Skjodt now has 11 season points for the Hoosiers.  

The goalies had no answer for the Bobcats. Senior Daniel Abramson allowed seven goals on 40 shots Friday, while on Saturday, senior Jason Burriss allowed six goals on 44 shots. IU has now been out-scored 150-85, while posting a 9-21 record this season.  

Although the season is almost finished, Shaughnessy said he believes the team can still improve.

“We have to work on playing all 60 minutes mistake-free,” Shaughnessy said. “We also need to find a way to string together all three periods of a game.”  

In the final few weeks of the season, the Hoosiers will travel next weekend to Illinois to face Robert Morris University.

Then they will travel to Lindenwood before returning home for the final series of the season against North Dakota State on Feb. 11 and 12.