Many athletes play through injuries, but only a select few are able to perform at the level that Icecat veterans Jordan Schupan and Austin Capobianco did last weekend at the American Collegiate Hockey Association Showcase.

Simply taking the ice at less than 100 percent is one thing, but ripping the net for seven combined goals only a week removed from pneumonia shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Two weeks ago Schupan and Capobianco were unsure if they would be able to make the trip to last weekend’s showcase. At one point, walking and breathing were a constant struggle.

The two upperclassmen missed the ASU series and were unable to partake in any demanding exercise for the better part of three weeks due to their bout with pneumonia.

But they recovered, at least enough to battle through 180 minutes of some of the ACHA’s best hockey.

“”Overall I am definitely looking forward to the rest,”” said an exhausted Capobianco. “”Being without vigorous exercise for almost three weeks definitely plays its toll on your body.””

Capobianco claimed he was playing the first game of the showcase at about 75 percent, and ended the showcase at about 90 percent. Schupan, who is also an asthmatic, felt he was at about 85 percent health for the majority of the three games.

“”After the second game I was struggling, so drained,”” Schupan said. “”But hey, we made it through the weekend.””

This duo did much more than just make it through the weekend. Schupan, one of the team’s three captains, finished the tournament with eleven points, including one six-point effort and a five-point game.

This scoring barrage was nothing new for the junior forward who posted 39 points on 22 goals and 17 assists in only 21 games last season. He started his season right where he left off, scoring one goal and assisting four in the first game of the showcase.

Schupan, like Capobianco, finished the last game of the showcase with the all-impressive playmaker — three goals and three assists.

“”I really didn’t have my legs, so I didn’t have the speed that is a big part of my game,”” Schupan said. “”Fortunately my passing and shot were there so I was able to help out.””

In addition to his poor health, Schupan hadn’t practiced with any of his line mates, freshmen Scott Willson and Brian Slugocki. But the trio was lethal, responsible for 11 of the team’s 17 goals throughout the tournament.

“”We really just clicked,”” Schupan said of the line. “”It took about one shift. We really were able to find each other and use each other on the ice.””

While Schupan is expected to produce in the goal-scoring department, Capobianco’s offensive output was an added bonus for the Icecats. The defenseman scored half of his 2008-2009 season total in one game.

“”It was kind of surreal,”” Capobianco said. “”I just didn’t realize, after the third one went in I was like ‘I think that was my first hat trick.’ Also to get three assists on top of that is kind of unique in itself.””

Capobianco posted his first hat trick as an Icecat in game three of the showcase. The senior defenseman also added three assists in the game, giving him his first playmaker of his career.

Schupan and Capobianco’s offensive explosions were certainly exciting, but the two are more preoccupied with the idea of getting healthy and seeing what this Icecats team can do.

“”We’re just looking forward to getting back to 100 percent and seeing where we can go with this team,”” Schupan said. “”Now we’re just kind of putting all of the pieces together.””

“”We have potentially three lines that could all be serious threats,”” Capobianco added. “”That’s something that in four years I have never been a part of.””