The Arizona Icecats wrap up the last leg of a three-week, six-game road swing tonight and tomorrow in Lubbock, Texas with a two-game set against Texas Tech starting today at 6 p.m.
Arizona (10-11-1) looks to rebound from a 1-5 skid, which has dropped the team below .500 for the first time since December.
Major factors in the Icecats' recent woes are the injuries of its two captains, senior forward Mickey Meehan and junior defenseman Mike Pelletier.
Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said the contributions of Meehan and Mike Pelletier have been impossible to replace.
Before going down with a knee injury Jan. 8, Meehan led the Icecats in goals scored.
Meehan was also key in the Icecats' comeback, overtime victory Nov. 19 against the Red Raiders. His two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, helped push Arizona to the win.
Mike Pelletier, meanwhile, led the UA defensive line before a grade 3 concussion suffered Jan. 21 sent him to the sidelines.
Mike Pelletier said he is pleased with how the remaining Icecats have performed in his and Meehan's absences.
"We showed more heart this weekend than any other two games this season," he said of the Icecats' performance last week at ASU.
Arizona came up just short in their previous two games in Tempe, falling 4-2 and 5-4 to No. 13 ASU.
Golembiewski said he sees the Icecats' recent play as a source of encouragement.
Arizona tallied a huge win Jan. 29 against No. 9 Weber State before taking highly ranked ASU to the brink.
In total, Arizona has been outscored by just six goals during its recent slump.
Junior defenseman D.J. Pelletier has been key in keeping Arizona competitive with Meehan and Mike Pelletier out, Golembiewski said.
D.J. Pelletier has been at the forefront of Golembiewski's five-man defensive unit, and has quarterbacked action on the offensive end of the puck, scoring goals against ASU and WSU.
D.J. and Mike Pelletier have seen very little ice time together in the pair's first season together as Icecats.
D.J. missed nearly two months of action because of a broken finger November and December, while Mike's injury separated the two after just four games together on the first line.
Golembiewski said the Icecats' recent fortunes may have been very different with both Pelletiers in the lineup, but that the team will push on.
Among those Golembiewski will look to this weekend are freshmen centers Scott Marshall and Craig Irwin, senior defenseman Mike Smith and junior forward Don Holtz.
Third line center Jerald Zivic is out with a knee injury suffered Jan. 30.
Leading the Red Raider attack is junior center Kevin Mayoux.
Mayoux has 20 goals on the year, and ignited Tech (21-6) in its trip to Tucson last November with two goals on the weekend.
Arizona returns from Lubbock for its final series of the year next weekend against ASU.