By
Chris Suffecool
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA drops two spots in polls
The Icecats will attempt to win their fifth and sixth straight games this weekend when they play host to the U.S. Naval Academy.
The sixth-ranked Icecats (5-1) are coming off a two-game sweep of West Chester University last weekend and will try to remain unbeaten at home this season.
Navy (4-4) is coming off a tough loss to No. 13 Rhode Island last Saturday.
The Icecats do not think the Midshipmen will give them too much of a challenge.
"We don't really expect them to be too strong," said junior goalie Jason Morgan. "In the back of our minds, we know they're not that strong."
The Icecats will need to win convincingly if they are to rise in the American Collegiate Hockey Association polls.
UA dropped two notches in the ACHA polls, due in part to an early-season loss to Saint Louis.
"You can't blame anyone for dropping us," Morgan said. "We're playing lower-level teams and we lost to a lower-level team."
Still, the Icecats believe they are a better team than what polls show.
"I definitely feel we're a better team than the ranking indicates," senior forward Paul Dorn said. "We've just got to go out and prove it."
The Icecats have played well since dropping their second game of the year 2-1 against Saint Louis back on Oct. 22.
Since then, the Icecats have been on a roll. They have won their last four games, outscoring their opponents 35-7 in the process.
"I was pretty impressed with the past two weekends (of hockey) we've played," Dorn said.
Junior forward Kyle Neary said this group of Icecats is talented enough to remain undefeated at home.
"I think this is the best team since I've been here," he said. "We pretty much hope to go undefeated during our home schedule."
The Icecats know, however, that the season will be decided at season's end, when UA will host - and likely compete in - the ACHA nationals at the Tucson Convention Center March 1-5.
"Hopefully, we're getting to that point where we're going to win nationals," Morgan said. "Every weekend, we're getting stronger and stronger."
