Icecats end season with fifth-straight loss

That statement probably sums up the thoughts of the Arizona Icecats, who dropped their third and final game of the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament to Eastern Michigan 6-1 on Friday.

Arizona, the eighth seed, never had the offense to keep pace with its older, deeper opponents.

Freshman left-wing Ed Carfora scored the Icecats' lone goal Friday. The short-handed shot gave Arizona its only lead in the entire tournament.

The second period, though, was all Eastern Michigan as the Eagles finally solved Icecat sophomore goalie Mike Tesi and took a 3-1 lead en route to the win. Tesi had 15 saves in the first period and 10 in the second before he was replaced by freshman Joe Peplinski.

Peplinski didn't fare much better, giving up three goals on 10 shots.

The Icecats could only manage nine shots on goal in the third period, and none got into the net.

"We had plenty of chances to bury the puck," Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said. "We didn't connect like we should have."

Arizona, at 0-3 in the tournament, tied Delaware for seventh place.