Icecats look to get offensive in preparation for next season

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior Ben Ruston (19), unleashes a slapshot at the Arizona State goal in the Feb. 22 game at the Tucson Convention Center. The Icecats finished fourth at the national tournament, their overall record was 25-5-1.

The Icecats, who finished the season 25-5-1 and fourth at the national tournament, will have to make up the 93 goals that are gone with senior forwards Brian Consolino, Peter Scott and Sam Battaglia.

"We're going to have to do some offensive reloading," Icecat coach Leo Golembiewski said. "We've got to replace a lot of goals. But, we have a half-dozen strong forwards coming back. We'll have a good nucleus."

At the center of that nucleus stands juniors Ben Ruston and Chad Dyjak, who will be the oldest players on the team. Dyjak transferred to UA from Ohio University at the beginning of this semester.

Ruston was the second leading scorer on the team and was name as a second-team all star at the national tournament.

"We're looking for huge leadership from Ruston, Dyjak and (Paul) Juran," Golembiewski said. "They are all perceived as leaders from their teammates."

Ruston knows his role on the team now changes for next season.

"I'm going to be more vocal," he said. "I'll have a lot more to say in the locker room. This year I was more of a leader on the ice. Next year I want to have more leadership on and off the ice."

For sophomore Andy Knick, he doesn't think the team's youth will be such a factor.

"Players will have to adjust to new roles and new players will have to step up," Knick said. "One year is a lot of experience, I know it was for me. It should be enough experience to know what has to be done next year."

Golembiewski has wasted no time in starting his recruiting.

"We've had close to 100 letters and phone calls from recruits interested in our program," Golembiewski said. "We'll spend most of the spring seeing people and talking to kids."

Golembiewski said he is looking into recruits from Colorado, Pennsylvania and British Columbia. One of Golembiewski's major concerns for the upcoming season is goaltending.

He has said that freshman goaltenders Beau LeMire and Mike Tesi will return. Golembiewski has expressed concern with his young goaltenders and he said he hopes that they continue to improve their skills over the summer.

"Beau had a good tournament," he said. "We'll have to look at the goaltending seriously in the next few months."

Offensively, Golembiewski said Knick and freshmen Josh Flett and Tommy Thompson are strong returnees.

Dyjak, Juran, sophomores Bob Majka and Ace Pascual, and freshmen Joe McCaffery and Kevin Baskel will carry the load in the defensive zone.

"There's a great saying that I have and that is 'It's too bad that youth has to be wasted on young people,'" Golembiewski said. "The players have to approach the game like they did when they were 11 or 12. When they are freshmen, they're trying to make the team, but by the time they're seniors, the complacency sets in."

For Ruston, his desire to play the game and enjoy it may be enough to lead the Icecats to a national title.

"Every team has to have guys that care," Ruston said. "I live and die hockey. Next year the top two guys, Juran and I, will really try to guide this team."