With 17 seconds left in the second period of Saturday night’s game, the weekend’s frustration for the Arizona club hockey team came out in the form of a brawl.
Three Icecats were thrown out of the game, with sophomore defenseman Zach Stommen receiving a one-game suspension for the fight.
After the fight, the No. 12 Icecats (7-6) ended up dropping both games over the weekend with a 5-2 loss on Saturday and 10-2 romping Friday night by No. 10 Liberty (13-3).
Sophomores left wing John Hansen and defenseman Austin Capobianco were also ejected but neither received suspensions for their involvement.
Liberty freshman Steve Jensen received a two-game suspension for the fight as well.
The Icecats led Liberty 2-1 until midway through the second period Saturday, when Liberty scored two quick goals to end the period, with both Icecat goals off the stick of sophomore center Matt Conover.
The Icecats’ eight-goal loss Friday was their worst defeat of the season, the previous being a 6-2 loss to No. 14 Western Michigan Oct. 2.
“”It was all about intensity,”” said junior right-winger Scott Marshall. “”(Liberty) came out on fire, and we thought we were ready to come out. It’s all about effort, and we didn’t have any (Friday). It was a disgrace.””
Liberty scored four goals before the Icecats could even muster one goal.
Junior goalie Luke Edwall gave up eight goals before being pulled in favor of sophomore Nick Boddy in the third.
“”I just want to apologize to everyone that came out tonight,”” said sophomore right wing Robbie Nowinski. “”It’s the worst effort I’ve ever seen. We were an embarrassment. There’s no excuse for that.””
The Icecats were outshot 50-30 by the Flames Friday.
“”It was a situation where boys played men (Friday),”” said Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski.
The team’s leading scorer, junior co-captain Craig Irwin, did not play because of a shoulder injury and won’t be back until the Icecats play No. 9 ASU Dec. 8-9. Sophomore defensemen Kevin West sat out as well, as he still is healing from a separated shoulder and is eyeing a return in two weeks.
The Icecats will get Thanksgiving weekend off and return to the Tucson Convention Center Dec. 1-2 against Weber State.
“”Icecat players in recent history (starting in 2002) are not viewing playing for this organization as a privilege but as a right,”” Golembiewski said. “”To play in this venue with these fans, there’s too many players who aren’t giving 100 percent who think it’s automatically their right to be here. There will be a lot of things addressed about this.””
