In a pair of big games against Weber State this weekend, the Arizona men’s club hockey team couldn’t come up as big as it needed to.
A sluggish first two periods of Friday’s game proved too much for the Icecats (10-6-1) to overcome as they fell 3-2, but they did salvage a 4-3 overtime win in Saturday’s contest.
“”I felt like we were quicker than (Weber State), but the bottom line is you’ve got to put the puck in the back of the net, and we didn’t do that often enough,”” Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski said. “”That’s why we got the split, we’re not learning our lessons.””
Arizona’s inconsistent play has proven to be the team’s downfall all year. After a 6-1-1 start, Arizona is 4-4 in its last eight games.
“”It seems like we come out flat on Fridays and play good on Saturdays,”” forward Scott Marshall said. “”That seems to be the trend we’re following right now for whatever reason.””
Golembiewski sensed a lack of intensity in some of the players and said that has been the team’s Achilles heel.
“”A lack of intensity is in the heart and soul of a player,”” he said. “”We don’t have lackluster efforts out of certain people, ever – in others, we do ad nauseam – but we’ll be addressing those areas at the end of the season.””
Arizona received a major blow in the loss of captain Craig Irwin, who suffered a “”serious”” groin injury and will join a bevy of Icecats sidelined with injuries, Golembiewski said.
Although no official prognosis has been given, Golembiewski expects Irwin to miss about one month.
The Icecats managed to find some positives to draw on, as they kept alive their hopes of playing in the American Collegiate Hockey Association national championships in March. Arizona also avoided the penalty box more often than in previous games, committing only four penalties in Friday’s game.
The Icecats also outshot Weber State (6-8) 125-60.
“”We had lots of opportunities, but our shot selection wasn’t very good,”” Golembiewski said. “”Even though we had a lot of shots, most of them were at the goalie’s chest.””
“”It’s frustrating when you throw that much rubber at their goaltender as we did and not come up with a sweep,”” he added.
