Sports
Senior Bobcat Set To Top Hockey Record Books
By: Nick Hart
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Ohio Athletics has enjoyed a great year of record-breaking seasons in several sports. Tyler Tettleton broke the football program’s all-time passing record in November, the men’s basketball team’s senior class is now the winningest in school history, and now another record is on the verge of being snapped at Ohio University.
Senior and captain of the captain of Ohio’s club hockey team, Tyler Pilmore, is about to set the all-time record for career points in a Bobcat uniform.
An explosive weekend against Kent State saw Pilmore record eight points in two games, and thus the all-time points total with 218. With the CSCHL Tournament taking place in Athens this upcoming weekend, Pilmore will need to log only one point to have his name etched in Bobcat hockey history. When you consider the fact that you’re dealing with someone as gifted as Tyler Pilmore, you can rest assured that record is all but his.
“It’s a huge, huge honor to break the points record,” Pilmore said. “But at the same time, it’s not an individual accomplishment by any means… I have had the wonderful opportunity to play with some great hockey players and great goal scorers, and without them this wouldn’t have ever been possible.”
Pilmore, always quick to note the strong play of others, is not just spewing sports clichés when he says he’s lucky to have been able to play with some great players. For three years, Pilmore had the luxury of playing alongside former Bobcat Michael Schultz, who sits at third all-time with 216 points for Ohio.
However, history does not just fall upon random players who have had the great fortune of playing on great teams. Pilmore has rightfully earned every point that has been penciled into the box scores during his four years playing for Ohio.
The one point that he needs to break the record would also push him to 50 points on the season, making him one of the few players in all of the ACHA to score at least 50 points in all four years of their collegiate club hockey career.
In addition to being the model of consistency when it comes to scoring, Pilmore possesses some of the best hockey sense and vision in the ACHA, something he says was further developed and perfected with the help of the man he’s currently tied with at 218 for the all-time record—coach Dan Morris.
“Over the last four years, (Coach Morris and I) have done drills on the ice, we’ve watched video, he’s done a lot of things to help me progress my vision on the ice,” Pilmore said. “I know we’re tied right now, but Coach has played a big part in breaking his own record. I can’t tell you how many times he’s told me something on the bench during the game that ends up being directly correlated to a goal we score later on.”
Though Pilmore will be proud of himself if he ultimately has the school’s all-time points record when his senior year has finally come to an end, he has his sights set on a finer prize.
“It’s not really my goal when I’m playing to break the points record,” he quipped. “It never really even entered my mind coming here. It’s all about winning a championship.”
Pilmore and the rest of the Bobcats will have their shot at a national title in March, as the ACHA selection show drew them as the fourth overall seed with a first round bye in the national tournament. Until then, the senior has his team focused on the hoard of talent they must face in the CSCHL Tournament this upcoming weekend.
All while we sit back and watch for Tyler Pilmore to score point number 219 and make school history.