CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat The No. 18 Icecats battle hated rival Arizona State in a two-game set starting tonight in the TCC Arena.

UA fighting injuries, Devils tonight at TCC

Just as the No. 13 Arizona Icecats (5-5-1) expected one of their leaders to step back onto the ice, one of its rising young stars will be forced to stay off it for the next two months.

With No. 18 Arizona State on the schedule this weekend, UA senior captain Keith Mitchell returned to practice this week after sitting since the preseason with a back injury. Mitchell, a 6-foot, 225-pound bruising defenseman, will make his first appearance of the year tonight when the Icecats take on rival ASU at 7:30 at the Tucson Convention Center Arena.

"It's unbelievable, man," Mitchell said of getting back on the ice. "It's been pretty tough. I was getting my butt kicked there for a while, not being in shape."

As Mitchell prepares for his first game back, freshman forward Jeff Merritt gets his first taste of watching his team from the stands.

Merritt suffered a broken leg during practice Wednesday, an injury that should sideline him for the next two months. Golembiewski said the team was doing drills on the ice when Merritt and sophomore defenseman Anthony Capone collided near the blue line.

"It's too bad, because Merritt has been pretty solid all year," Golembiewski said, noting the sport's potential danger. "Hockey's entertaining, but it's also very physical and rough."

The injury hampers a struggling UA offense that's managed to score just 22 goals in nine games, save for a two-game sweep of visiting Tennessee, in which the Icecats rattled off 21 goals against the Volunteers.

In the wake of a four-game losing streak, Golembiewski said the team had the week off last week before practicing four days this week.

"We did play well against Western Michigan, but just couldn't bury the puck," said Golembiewsk of the team's 5-3 and 2-1 losses two weeks ago at TCC. "(This week) we went back, basically, to meat-and-potato drills."

Golembiewski said the rivalry with the Sun Devils should spark a fire under the Icecats, helping put them back over .500 and on track for their 22nd consecutive trip to the American Collegiate Hockey Association tournament.

"Emotions are high against ASU," he said. "There's a lot at stake for our season, too. We've got to get some 'Ws.'"

Golembiewski said he looks forward to seeing Mitchell back on the ice, but wasn't sure how much Mitchell would be able to play after having just one week of practice with the team.

"This team only has three seniors on the roster, so its good to get Keith back," he said. "He's a workhorse. We're going to go with him as long as he can go."

Mitchell said it was just a matter of time before the Icecats would get back to their winning ways of old, adding that this weekend is a good opportunity to break back into the win column.

"I think we're coming together as a team a lot more now," Mitchell said. "It took us a while to get stuff straight. This weekend is going to be the point where we have to turn it around. It's a tough position, but I think we can do it."

The Icecats and Sun Devils battle again Saturday night at 7:30 before taking on a team of former NHL players in the Icecats' St. Louis Blues Alumni Game Sunday at 6 p.m.

"I think after Friday and Saturday, it will probably be a good game," Mitchell said. "To just go out and get our butt kicked by some older players; it will be a good game for learning."