Icecats hitting the road

The Icecats (17-1) travel north tonight to take on the ninth-ranked Arizona State Ice Devils at 7 p.m. at Veteran's Memorial Coliseum.

Senior Sam Battaglia said the team has been preparing for this trip for several weeks.

"We wanted to use Navy and Kent as pre-games to the long road trip," the co-captain said. "ASU is going to be very important for us and for them, too, if they want to get a top-six seed in the national tournament."

Icecat coach Leo Golembiewski said he was going to take a realistic approach to the game, since the Icecats have had a series of injuries.

Sophomore Andy Knick is ready to play and will start at right wing.

"The big thing is that we're 77-4-1 against them," Golembiewski said. "Knick is coming off a major concussion, (Brian) Meehan is coming back with a bad ankle, so you don't know what's going to happen."

Playing at Veteran's Memorial Coliseum will be a change for the Icecats, who usually face the Ice Devils at Oceanside Arena in Scottsdale.

"It's a much better rink and that will help us since it is more like the (Tucson Convention Center)," Battaglia said. "Oceanside was small and dingy and we had trouble with the boards."

However, playing away from home is something that the younger players haven't done yet.

"It will be a big surprise for them," Battaglia said. "They haven't played in any other rink other than the TCC, but I think they will adjust okay."

The Icecats swept the Ice Devils in early December 7-4 and 4-3 in front of sell-out crowds.

The Icecats will travel to play Ohio in Athens, Ohio on Friday. The games versus the second-ranked Bobcats are on Saturday and Monday night.

"Ohio has been a strong team the last few years," Battaglia said. "But I don't think that they're quite as dominant as they were."

Golembiewski is not so sure.

"We will be playing a great team. There are so many factors that are going to affect the outcome," Golembiewski said. "Beating a national championship (winning) team is not easy. They're big and strong."

There is no doubt that Ohio has been a powerhouse hockey team in the past, winning the last two national titles. However, part of the Bobcats' power has come to play for the Icecats.

Ohio-veteran Chad Dyjak brings national championship experience to the Icecat program.

The junior transferred to the UA this semester and has been a strong defensive addition for the Icecats. He said he is looking forward to facing his alma mater.

"I think it'll be interesting," Dyjak said. "I think it will get me more wound up to play and beat my old teammates. I'm looking forward to hitting the hell out of my old friends."

Dyjak knows it won't be though.

"They have the potential and the manpower," Dyjak said. "It's just a matter of getting the chemistry to work. This road trip will be a definite test."

The Icecats continue their road trip into early February, stopping at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Colorado and Marquette. They do not return to the TCC until Feb. 21 and 22, when they face Arizona State in the final regular season games of the season.