Despite a strong start, the No. 20 Arizona hockey team was unable to maintain its lead and fell 3-2 Thursday night in Canton, Okla., against No. 18 Central Oklahoma.
“We played well in the first 20 minutes,” head coach Sean Hogan said. “And then we just started turning the puck over in the second and the third (periods).”
“It’s a learning process here,” he added. “We have got to get better.”
The UA scored just four minutes into the game from a shot by assistant captain Brady Lefferts. Fellow linemate Blake Richards added a second in the period to give the Wildcats an early 2-0 lead over the Bronchos.
However, Central Oklahoma responded in the second period. The Bronchos scored three goals in the second period to take a 3-2 lead over the Wildcats, including a goal with just three seconds remaining in the period.
The Wildcats were never able to rebound and were held them scoreless in the third as the Bronchos completed their 3-2 comeback victory.
“They had a very good goalie,” Hogan said. “He made a lot of good saves and he’s one of the better goalies in our league.
“He basically won the game in the third for them. We were all over him in the third.”