By Chris Jackson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 10, 1997

Icecats take it on the chin from physical Ohio squad

Robert Henry Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat

It was a strange turn of events this weekend at the Tucson Convention Center.

One hockey team outscored the other 14-6 en route to a two-game sweep.

This time, though, it was not the Arizona Icecats who swept some unlucky opponent.

Three-time defending national champion Ohio University (7-4) came into Tucson and pounded on the Icecats (4-2), winning 4-2 and 10-4 on Friday and Saturday night.

"We just didn't get it done," Icecat senior defenseman and co-captain Chad Dyjak said. "We didn't give 110-percent, and you've got to do that to beat teams like Ohio."

Making Saturday night's lopsided loss worse, was the fact that the fifth-ranked Icecats had five power-plays in the first period alone, yet they finished the period down 2-0.

"We got more timid as the game went on," Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said. "We had no speed. You've got to play this game with our strongest asset, and we didn't. We were afraid to hold onto the puck. Still, this is a good lesson learned."

The fourth-ranked Bobcats' second goal of the first period was especially painful, as it came off an errant pass that bounced off Icecat sophomore goalie Mike Tesi's stick and trickled past the goal line before Tesi could knock it away.

The Icecats did manage to rebound somewhat in the second period, as freshman right-wing Mike Graves blasted one in the net to cut the deficit to 2-1, but that would be as close as Arizona would get.

Ohio junior forward Chad Fournier scored his second of four goals on the night on his stomach, with an Icecat defenseman on his back, pushing the puck in past Tesi to extend the lead to 3-1.

After Fournier's third goal made it 4-1, Tesi was pulled for freshman Joe Peplinski. Peplinski did not fare much better, giving up two more goals before the end of the second period.

Arizona freshman right-wing Marc Harris and freshman center Jim Wilkey helped cut into the Bobcats' lead, with two goals to bring the Icecats to 6-3.

Dyjak finally gave the Icecats a power-play goal with 1-minute, 10 seconds into the third period, narrowing Ohio's lead to 6-4.

It was all downhill from there. Ohio ran up the score to 10-4, leaving the Icecats frustrated and disappointed.

"I'm just drained right now," said Tesi after Friday's loss. "We didn't come out and play tonight."

Golembiewski, though, feels that the losses will benefit the Icecats more than hurt them.

"This is a great character victory for us with nine eighteen-year olds on our team," he said. "We can't help but be optimistic."

On Friday, the Icecats jumped out to 2-0 lead in the first on goals by Graves and freshman left-wing Ed Carfora.

Ohio tied the Icecats at 2-2 in the second, and then limited the Icecats to only six shots in the third period, scoring twice more to hand Arizona its first loss of the season.

As to what he will say to the team's nine freshmen, Dyjak simply said, "The sun will rise tomorrow."

The Icecats will "try to regroup," Golembiewski said, awaiting the arrival of Southern Cal for a two-game set this Friday and Saturday.

Icecat Game Boxes

Bobcats 4, Icecats 2
Friday night at the Tucson Convention Center
Arizona 2 0 0-2
Ohio 0 2 2-4
Shots on Goal: Arizona 10-12-6-28, Ohio 12-15-14-41.
Goalies: Arizona, Tesi (41 shots, 37 saves). Ohio, Danner (28 shots, 26 saves).
Power-play Opportunities: Arizona (1 for 4), Ohio (0 for 2).
Attendance: 4,006

Bobcats 10, Icecats 4
Saturday night at the Tucson Convention Center
Arizona 0 3 1-4
Ohio 2 4 4-10
Shots on Goal: Arizona 11-14-12-37, Ohio 12-11-7-30.
Goalies: Arizona, Tesi (23 shots, 15 saves), Peplinski (7 shots, 5 saves). Ohio, Danner (37 shots, 33 saves).
Power-play Opportunities: Arizona (1 for 9), Ohio (2 for 2).
Attendance: 4,221