The UA Icecats have an upset on their minds tonight when they host No. 6 Weber State at the Tucson Convention Center.
After a sluggish start to the season, Arizona (1-3) bounced back in its last game with a 7-2 win over Lehigh. The team hopes to take the momentum from the win into the two WSU games.
Weber State (4-1-1) is Arizona's second top-10 opponent of the young season. The Icecats opened the season with a pair of losses to No. 9 Arizona State.
"They're a big, solid team," Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said of the other Wildcats. "A win over a team like that would be great for our fans, and it would be great for us."
The Icecats' youth showed in their opening week, and Golembiewski said despite the win they still have a lot to work on.
He did add that he thinks they are finally about to "get over the hump."
Weber State began the season ranked seventh - equal to the team's finish in the 2004 ACHA National Championship Tournament - but moved up to six in the second poll thanks to an offensive attack that has scored 32 goals in just six games.
Arizona struggled to score in its first three games, posting just six goals in the three losses.
The set with Lehigh helped improve the team's confidence on offense, Golembiewski said.
The Icecats took 100 shots, in their last two outings, producing 10 goals.
Arizona's newfound offensive aggressiveness comes at an important time, senior Mickey Meehan said.
He said that since the team has secured that most-difficult first win, they have momentum to build on as the season progresses.
"A win over Weber would be huge for us," Meehan said.
Meehan, UA's leading scorer with five goals and six points, flourished at left wing after starting his first two games at center. He will start at that position again this weekend, with freshman Craig Irwin assuming center duties. Irwin scored his first career goal in Arizona's loss to Lehigh Friday night, but followed up with his second during the Wildcats' victory a night later.
The UA plays tonight without the team's assists leader, freshman defenseman Doug Wilson. Wilson and left wing Max Sliwinski are each serving one-game suspensions after receiving game misconducts against Lehigh for fighting.
"(A win against Weber State) would show that we're not playing around," Meehan said. "We want people to know we're still the best in the West."