Icecats, ASU face off again

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat Icecat senior Peter Scott (22) and the rest of the No. 2-ranked Icecats (22-2-1) face off this weekend against No. 8 Arizona State. The Icecats will take on the Ice Devils tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 at the Tucson Convention Center.

The No. 2 Icecats will face No. 8 Arizona State tonight and tomorrow in the final regular season games of the season. The national tournament begins Tuesday.

The Icecats (22-2-1) and Ice Devils faceoff at 7:30 at the Tucson Convention Center.

"We're looking for two things to get ready for nationals," Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said. "We have to be physically strong and the team needs to stay fresh and really want to play.

"We're very pleased with the attitude of the players. We had a great practice Monday night after having the weekend off and we looked great."

However, the last time the two teams met, the Icecats didn't look so great. ASU is one of the two teams that defeated the Icecats this season. They lost, 8-6 to ASU on Jan. 24 at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

But then again, the Icecats are 77-5-1 all-time against the Ice Devils, telling the true tale of Arizona's continuing success over the years.

"We're really proud of our record against them," Golembiewski said. "We've always measured the Icecats nationally, our tradition is not linked with ASU's as it is with other sports."

Sophomore Andy Knick said the two-week break helped the team get healthy for ASU.

"We have to really put a hurting on ASU," Knick said. "We have to play well as a team."

Earlier this season, the Icecats proved they can play well against ASU. They grabbed two wins in the TCC, 7-4, 4-3 on December 6 and 7.

The two games this weekend are still important for both teams as they look for momentum going into the national tournament. It will be held at Eastern Michigan University.

"If we really play well, it will build our confidence for nationals," Knick said.

Golembiewski said ASU has proven that they can be a good hockey club.

"We've got to come out and play hockey," he said. "We need to play well as a power-surge for the tournament itself."