Ice Devils' No. 9 rank gives series new lure

Ice Devils' No. 9 rank gives series new lure

By Shoshana Burrus
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 6, 1996

Tanith L. Balaban
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Freshman defenseman Elliot Komar, right, will try to help the Icecats beat an improved Arizona State team that has climbed to No. 9 in the nation. Last season, the Icecats lost or the first time in 13 years against the Ice Devis.

The UA-ASU rivalry starts again.
Except this time it's not on the football field, it's on the ice at the Tucson Convention Center.
This time the two hockey teams are nationally ranked, right on top of each other.
The No. 8 Icecats (10-0) are just one step ahead of the ninth-ranked Ice Devils (9-2-1).
However, national rankings are one thing and state rivalries are another.
"There are a lot of factors that you have to throw into the game," Icecat coach Leo Golembiewski said. "There's the rivalry and it's on our turf."
Not to mention the revenge factor. Last season, the Ice Devils defeated the Icecats for the first time in 13 years, 4-1 in Tempe.
The teams will meet tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center.
Ice Devil coach Gene Hammett calls the game "the best matchup with UA in a long time."
"These are going to be two great hockey games, quality ones," Hammett said. "No one should miss this matchup."
Looking at the Icecats' history of 75 wins and just four losses against the Ice Devils may not be enough to judge Arizona State's ability.
Last year's record of 6-1 against the Icecats would indicate that the Ice Devils haven't pushed enough. Last year was the first appearance the Ice Devils had ever made in the national tournament. The Icecats have competed in nationals every year since the tournament's inception.
"We know we have to go out and play," Golembiewski said. "We know they've got a good team, but we're not concerned with them, we're only concerned about ourselves and with what we have to do."
Golembiewski said his team has to go out and work tough to get the job done.
"It comes down to execution and the scoreboard," he said. "We need big games from the top two lines and a solid game out of the third line."
The top two lines consist of forwards Brian Consolino, Sam Battaglia, Tommy Thompson, Ben Ruston, Andy Knick and Peter Scott. The defensemen are Eliot Komar, Joel Nusbaum, Bob Majka and Paul Juran.
Golembiewski said freshmen Josh Flett and Brian Meehan on the third line will also be important, but the biggest key of all may come from freshman goaltender Beau LeMire.
"We need a tell-tale game out of LeMire, " Golembiewski said. "He hasn't had to be up to the task, but he will have to be in these games."