Top scorer ejected but Icecats win

Just three minutes into the game, senior Brian Consolino was handed a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind. He was then disqualified for the rest of the game. He will not be eligible for today's game against Michigan-Dearborn.

"The call was terrible," Icecat coach Leo Golembiewski said. "I'm really unhappy with the refereeing. But we were able to execute our speed and quickness and when we do that we win."

With Consolino gone, the Icecats were forced to depend on others to score. The No. 2 Icecats (25-2-1) and the Blue Hens (30-6) both got on the scoreboard in the first period.

Junior Ben Ruston scored at 7:53 off a pass from co-captain Peter Scott. Just a few minutes later, Blue Hen Greg Barber connected on a shot to tie the game into the first intermission.

Scott opened the second period with a goal just over a minute into play. He notched his second goal at the 10:40 mark in the second.

"Anytime you have a young team you face adversity," Scott said. "You don't know what's going to happen. Consolino is our go-to guy. The other guys really stepped it up."

Ruston and Sam Battaglia each scored two goals. Sophomore Ace Pascual and freshman Tommy Thompson added a goal each.

"This was a full team effort," Scott said. "(Icecat goaltender Beau) LeMire played great too and that's what we need if we're going to go anywhere."

LeMire finsihed the game with 31 saves.

The Icecats face No. 6 Michigan-Dearborn (20-15-3) today at 2 p.m. Tucson time.

In other scores yesterday, No. 3 Ohio topped Michigan-Dearborn 7-3 and top-ranked Iowa State cruised past No. 8 Western Michigan 6-1. Scores from the late game between Eastern Michigan and Penn State were unavailable.