Because Wildcat hockey head coach Sean Hogan will be in Europe serving as an assistant coach for the 2013 U.S. Men’s National University Team this weekend, eighth-year UA assistant coach Dave Dougall is in control. On Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., No. 12 Arizona (10-10-0) matches up against arch rival No. 1 ASU (21-0-0) at the Tucson Convention Center.
Dougall, a 2001 UA Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in 2001, played defenseman for the Icecats from 1983-1987. He served as a captain for two years and was awarded Rookie of the Year in 1984 and Best Defenseman his final two seasons as an Icecat.
The Daily Wildcat talked to Dougall about his chance to finally lead the program he’s been part of for so many years.
Daily Wildcat: What are you looking forward to most about leading the team as interim head coach this weekend?
Dougall: Well, it’s really going to be the other assistants and I working as a team, but I think it’s a unique opportunity in the first place with Arizona State, just to be able to play them here at home. We’ll have a huge crowd and a big group here.
How do you think your previous eight seasons behind the bench as an assistant coach will help you out against a team as good as ASU?
Just having a feel for the atmosphere that’s going to be involved in these couple nights, hopefully not getting rattled or anything with whatever goes on during the course of the game. There will be a lot of momentum swings so it’ll be intense, like always. Even if you’re playing ping pong with ASU, it’s just intense.
Coach Hogan is usually the one barking all game long. Because he’s gone for these games, will you become more vocal?
I’m pretty reserved just in general, but I might, yeah [laughs], have a tendency to be a little more vocal in times when things get heated. But I’m usually pretty reserved. I would say I’m a calm but passionate type of leader.
What’s your plan to run today’s practice while coach Hogan is away for the first time?
We’ll follow the same game plan he usually has as far as special teams and flow drills and things of that nature. I’m not going to try to change things up or anything like that, we’re just going to stay the course and work with the guys that way.
What’s your favorite memory of playing for the Icecats back in the 1980s?
Playing in front of the crowds here, and we actually played for the national championship back when it wasn’t through the ACHA, when we played Penn State in its home area and were able to win.
—Follow Joey Putrelo @JoeyPutrelo
