The No. 18 Arizona Wildcats won its third straight against in state rival Northern Arizona and its third straight game overall Friday night, routing the Ice Jacks 8-1.
“We played pretty well,” head coach Sean Hogan said. “We need to do those things against a Division II team. NAU is a good team.”
Senior forward Brian Slugocki earned a hat trick and junior forward Ansel Ivens-Anderson scored two goals and four points.
Sophomore goalie Bob Schultz (3-1) made his fourth start of the year and made 21 saves.
“I was happy with our guys, I thought Schultz played well,” Hogan said.
Friday night’s performance was Slugocki’s second hat trick of the season, the first coming in early November against Oakland. Slugocki’s hat trick was the UA’s third after Ivens-Anderson had one last week.
Freshman defenseman Bryan Drazner opened up the scoring at the eight-minute mark with a long distance goal, assisted by junior forward Andrew Murmes. Sophomore forward Justin Gaudino scored two minutes later via assists from sophomore defenseman Shane Gleason and junior forward Jeff Wadhams.
NAU got on the board with 29 seconds left in the first period, but Arizona responded with a goal nine seconds later by sophomore forward Mike Ferreira. Freshman forward Nick Hinsberg and senior defenseman Nick Stolz were credited with assists.
“At times we get lazy when we get the lead, we start getting a little bit out of what we call ‘Wildcat hockey,’” Hogan said.
In the second period, Ivens-Anderson scored with 4:27 left and 17 seconds left on a four minute power play from assists from Slugocki and Stolz. With 47 seconds left in the period, Slugocki scored on a power play goal, assisted by senior forward Jared Lowell and freshman defenseman Kyle Ambrosie.
Arizona was five-of-nine on power plays and held NAU to scoreless in four opportunities. UA is the only team to beat NAU more than once.
“I expect them to come out a lot harder [Saturday] for sure,” said Hogan about the Ice Jacks.
The last time the in state rivals played in Tucson, NAU beat Arizona 5-4 on Jan. 15, 2011. UA beat the Ice Jacks 7-3 and 4-2 in September in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Tonight Arizona closes out the semester and the series by hosting the Ice Jacks at 7:45 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center.
The Wildcats will stage their first “Teddy Bear Toss” on Saturday, presented by NOVA Home Loans. Fans are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped teddy bear or stuffed animal to throw onto the ice after the Wildcats’ first goal.
