Winning on the road is never easy, especially with two captains sidelined by injury against a top-10 opponent.
But that's exactly what the UA Icecats (10-9-1) did Saturday against No. 9 Weber State (17-8-3).
Arizona bounced back from a 3-2 loss Friday to hand WSU an 8-5 defeat Saturday and remain alive in the chase for an American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament berth.
"Our guys really rose up," said Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski. "It was a strong weekend and I have no complaints."
The Icecats were sluggish out of the gate Friday in Ogden, Utah, allowing Weber State two goals early in the first period.
Freshman defenseman Max Sliwinski answered on an Arizona power play before WSU tacked on a third goal in the opening period less than a minute later.
Arizona held Weber State scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Icecat junior right-winger Don Holtz scored in the third period to draw the Icecats within a goal.
Golembiewski pulled senior goaltender Bryan Aronchick with a minute left to give Arizona an extra attacker on offense. However, it did not result in a goal, and Arizona came away with the loss.
The Icecats were able to reverse their fortune Saturday in resounding fashion.
Sliwinski tallied his second goal of the series early to give the UA a 1-0 advantage.
Weber State retaliated with three unanswered scores to lead 3-1 at the end of the first period.
Senior forward Shaun Brooks scored in the second to cut the WSU lead in half.
The Icecats went ahead by two moments later, but freshman center Craig Irwin responded with a goal to close out the second.
Forward Brian Pollach registered his first goal of the season to open the final period and bring the Icecats even at four.
Weber State provided an answer again before Arizona unleashed an offensive onslaught.
Freshman defenseman Anthony Capone began a four-goal UA run to close out the series and give the Icecats an upset victory.
Junior forwards Cole Dunlop and Eric Kowalek, and Brooks rounded out the Icecats' scoring in the 8-5 victory.
The offensive balance was indicative of the Icecats' performance throughout the two-game set, Golembiewski said.
"We used a bunch of different (line) combinations," he said. "Everyone put in a great effort.
"We could have divvied out 17 game pucks," he said.
Weber State outshot the Icecats 47-28 in a night that saw Arizona receive 36 penalty minutes, but Aronchick was up to the challenge.
His 42 saves gave life to the rest of the Arizona attack and earned the senior Saturday's game puck, Golembiewski said.
Senior forward Mickey Meehan and junior defenseman Mike Pelletier, two of Arizona's captains, missed the series due to injury.
Golembiewski said having the two out of the lineup was a huge adversity for the Icecats, but one the team overcame.
The Icecats head to Tempe Friday for a date with No. 13 ASU.