Icecats' blow lead, postseason chances in tie with Delaware

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Leo Golembiewski

That was all that stood between the Arizona Icecats and the postseason.

The Icecats were four seconds from victory. Four seconds from what was their last chance to move up in the polls and make their 19th consecutive national tournament.

And they blew it.

With four seconds left, Arizona was clinging to a 5-4 lead over Delaware Saturday. The Blue Hens' Matt Brush won the faceoff and sent a slap shot into the net, tying the game at 5-5. Both teams failed to score in overtime, ending the contest with a frustrating tie.

The No. 11 Icecats (9-9-1) went into the series with No. 10 Delaware (10-6-2) needing to sweep the Blue Hens in order to leapfrog in the polls and finish among the top eight teams to go to the nationals.

With only three games left before the tournament seeds are announced, the Icecats' chances are all but gone.

"I'm at a loss right now," freshman left-wing Paul Dorn said. "I don't know what to say."

Dorn scored a hat trick, propelling the Icecats to a 4-1 lead at the end of two periods.

But a number of penalties enabled the Blue Hens to get back into the game, cutting the Icecats' lead to 4-3 less than three minutes into the third period. Dorn scored again in the third to make the lead 5-3, but it did not hold.

A seemingly foolish penalty by freshman defenseman Rodney Glassman gave the Blue Hens a power-play with less than six minutes to go. Delaware sophomore Brett Huston made the Icecats pay, ripping a slap shot past Icecat goalie Mike Tesi.

"I can't really explain how frustrating it was," Dorn said. "Twice in a row like this hurts."

The Icecats also lost Friday night's contest 3-2, but not before blowing a 2-0 lead.

"We played two periods well in both games, but we just fell apart in the third," said freshman defenseman Tyler Brush.

Icecat head coach Leo Golembiewski said only one thing on his postgame radio show.

"(Head referee) Joe Ventola will never work in this building again," Golembiewski said.

While the officiating was somewhat questionable, Icecat freshman right-wing Mike Graves said it was not just the penalties that hurt the Icecats.

"They have a real solid power-play," Graves said. "They took advantage of the opportunities and we didn't stop them like we should have."