Central Oklahoma snapped Wildcat hockey’s three game winning streak in Friday night.
No. 16 Arizona (8-8-0) lost 3-1 to the No. 18 Bronchos (7-8-0) in Oklahoma City.

“We are just ok,” head coach Sean Hogan said. “We jumped out on them one nothing and then had a lot of opportunities to score. We played really well in the first period, we just couldn’t capitalize.”

Sophomore forward Mike Ferreira scored UA’s goal in the first period.

“They were just a mentally tough team, they gave it to us for 60 minutes,” Ferreira said. “They never really had any quit in them.”

Arizona may have experienced a let down after Thursday’s 3-1 win at then No. 6 Oklahoma.

“We had a ton of chances to score early but had trouble burying it after the tough game yesterday,” Ferreira said. “The guys were a little banged up.”
Hogan said the Wildcats missed a few breakaways and the Bronchos responded with three unanswered goals.

“We had a lot of opportunities to win that game and I feel like we’re better a team than they are but they really out worked us tonight,” Hogan said.

The Wildcats out shot Central 29-26.

“We just couldn’t score,” Hogan said. “Their goalie played great.”
Bronchos are only the third foe UA has faced that ranks below them, after playing Division II NAU and then No. 21 Eastern Michigan.

The loss may make Friday’s final game of the series a must win.

“It’s huge,” Ferreira said. “We’ve been on a streak lately, taking out top teams but the next game’s really important to us because we have to beat them by a handful of goals if we want to keep our spot up in the national rankings.”