BRYCE
ANDERSON
Ohio State
Jr. | F | Waterloo, Iowa
Anderson
has scored 29 career points in two seasons at Ohio State,
23 of which have come during the second half of the season.
Key
Statistics: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. On a team that
features a platoon of forwards in the 5-10, 185 pound range,
Anderson is one of the Buckeyes’ few prototypical bangers.
What
He Does: More than just hit people, although OSU
coach John Markell says Anderson excels at what he terms “separating
guys from the puck”. He's asked to win one-on-one battles
in the corners and let guys like Tom Fritsche and Rod Pelley
do their thing. No slouch around the net, Anderson scored
eight goals and 18 points in 35 games and tied for second
on the team with three game-winning markers. He also skates
well for his size – that, combined with his size, makes
him an effective penalty killer.
The
Bigger Picture: Markell’s expectations for
the junior winger this season are but one: Play with more
consistency. In his first two seasons, Anderson would string
together a couple fine performances but become complacent,
lose sight of his role, revert to bad habits and end up watching
games in street clothes. Anderson is also a notoriously slow
starter – of his 29 career points, all but six have
come after Christmas. With last year’s 27-11-4 squad
returning virtually intact and the Buckeyes eying lofty goals
this season, he’ll have to contribute immediately or
be scratched.
Ohio State coach John Markell on Anderson:
“He was an asset when he was on top of his
game. He’s got to come in knowing that we’re counting
on him to be in there with that edge. We’ve got enough
players now that it’s going to be tough for him to break
into the lineup and stay there if he is inconsistent. When
he plays his [best], he’s a very capable competitor."