Jacob Haubner and Marley Tullis
The Wittenberg ice hockey team came back strong after winter break. After Wooster had to cancel due to travel complications, Wheeling Jesuit University took their place in Friday’s match-up against the Tigers.
The crowd, including various members of Wittenberg’s board of directors, were in attendance to see the guys play an aggressive game againse Wheeling. The crowd stood to their feet and cheered goal after goal.
From the opening drop, it was clear that Wheeling Jesuit was outmatched by the Tigers. The Tigers dominated offensively and defensively, winning by a margin of nine goals as the scored ended 11-2. The Tigers new goalie, Ben Allen, played his second great game in the net and looked like a brick wall on the ice.
Wheeling Jesuit’s shooters struggled to find the back of the net versus the Canadian freshman phenom. Wittenberg’s scoring came from all over the place. Ty Rudy, Alex Beebe, David Like, Teddy Rico, Andy Kennedy, Andrew Crawl, and Dylan Conroy all found the back of the net.
Beebe led the way with two goals for the Tigers. When asked how he thought the game went, he laughed and said: “It went pretty well, we made sure we put a good show on for the guys. We are a very aggressive team, its part of what helps us win.”
Beebe continued saying that the team’s success is due to their ability to work as a team: “We work well together good passing and shooting.”
The game showed that the Tigers have multiple talented players that are capable of scoring. They look ready to take down any team on their own ice.
Senior captain Andy Kennedy was hurt in the first period with an injured wrist, which is a big loss for the Tigers. Kennedy has been a go to player for the Tigers his entire career. The Tigers will hope to have him return to action before the end of the season. Kennedy did manage to score his lone goal despite the injury.
The Tigers have been an exciting team to watch all year on their home ice. They still have yet to lose at the Chiller since its opening. The Tigers have also been drawing large numbers of fans and packing the Chiller.
This game was not as crowded as the home opener of 450+ people, but it was still decently full. It is clear that the ice hockey team’s games have gained the attention of Wittenberg and Springfield community.
The Chiller offered free skate after the Tigers game open to all students. The hockey team still has two months of play. Their next home game will be against rival Denison University on Feb. 1.
