The No. 7 UA Icecats might be on an eight-game win streak, including a stretch in which they have scored 40 goals during their last four contests, but with a two-game set beginning tonight on the road against rival No. 17 Arizona State, their recent successes do not mean the Icecats will be looking past their in-state rival.

"It's a rivalry like any other," said UA sophomore goaltender Brian Aronchick. "We play them eight times a year, which is much more than anyone else. We definitely come to play them differently because of how many times we see each other."

Aronchick's play since the start of the new year has carried the Icecats, as the goaltender has established himself as the team's backbone while keeping busy out on the ice. The sophomore native of Pennsylvania has faced 30 or more shots four times during the team's winning streak, including stopping all 34 shots he faced during an 8-0 drubbing of Robert Morris College.

The Icecats have not lost in over a month, a span of eight games that started with a 4-2 win on Jan. 3 and a 2-1 win on Jan. 4 for the Icecats. Their last defeat came at the hands of ASU, 6-5 on Dec. 7.

Head coach Leo Golembiewski is confident in the Icecats' ability to build on games like the loss to the Sun Devils.

"We are a smarter and more mature team now," Golembiewski said. "ASU needs to beat Arizona to make any statement for the rest of the season, so we expect them to come out ready to play as well."

Sophomore forward Mickey Meehan led the way last weekend for the Icecats, posting five goals during the Icecats' 10-6 and 12-7 road victories over Saint Louis. Meehan returned to the team following academic sanctions that caused him to miss the Icecats' home victories over Robert Morris the week prior.

Perhaps the hottest Icecat since the team's last loss has been sophomore forward Shaun Brooks. Brooks has scored 12 goals over the eight-game win streak, including two hat tricks against Saint Louis and Northland College.

Golembiewski is impressed with his team's ability to share the offensive spotlight and get each other involved.

"We have never had a team that is this selfless," Golembiewski said. "Our last eight games have all had the feel of a National Tournament, which is great preparation for the actual tournament."

Aronchick does not expect a letdown from himself or his teammates this weekend, hoping to continue their winning ways against ASU.

"There are certain weekends that we will go away and play a little differently than we would at home, and this is one of those weekends," Aronchick added. "They play on a much smaller rink then us, so we will have to adjust how we play. Just because we play differently though, doesn't mean we won't play as hard and won't want to win just as badly."