By Chris Jackson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 14, 1997

Icecats look to rebound against USC

Last weekend wasn't pretty.

After being swept by fourth-ranked Ohio 4-2 and 10-4, the fifth-ranked Arizona Icecats club hockey team is looking to get back on its feet this weekend against Southern Cal.

The Trojans will be in town tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 at the Tucson Convention Center.

It will be Southern Cal's first visit to the TCC since February of 1989, but the Trojans are no strangers to playing the Icecats.

Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said that his club has played Southern Cal 27 times over the years, winning all but two games.

"They're one of the better teams in California," Golembiewski said.

Last season the Trojans were supposed to come to Tucson but the series was canceled due to a scheduling conflict.

The Icecats will be without one of their key players, freshman center Kory Wagstaff, who is out indefinitely after suffering a broken knuckle on his right hand last Friday against Ohio.

With Wagstaff out, Golembiewski said that freshman right wing Mike Graves will move to center, with sophomore Tommy Thompson moving up from the third line to take Graves' position. Freshman Paul Dorn will stay in his spot at left wing.

Golembiewski said that the mood of the team after last weekend's losses has been, "probably disappointment. Obviously they let an opportunity to establish themselves in their own right (slip away).

"Our goal is to get to nationals and contend for a national title. (The losses) put a definite damper on that goal."

Golembiewski said he has been "harping" on getting the players mentally prepared for this weekend's games.

Icecat Scoring Leaders

Player, Pos. G A Pts.

Harris,   RW 5 11 16
Ruston,    C 11 5 16
Carfora,  LW 3 12 15
Dorn,     LW 8  6 14
Graves,   RW 4  7 11
Dyjak,     D 2  5  7
Thompson,  C 3  3  6
Majka,     D 1  4  5
McCaffrey, D 3  1  4
McCarty,  LW 1  3  4
Brush,     D 1  3  4
Wilke,    RW 1  3  4
Wagstaff,  C 1  2  3