Icecats host Arizona St.
The No. 4-ranked Icecats (20-3-2) hope to finish the regular season on a high note as they host arch-rival Arizona State this weekend at the Tucson Convention Center.
"The refereeing in the Sunday game in Tempe last month was great," Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski said. "It was some of the best refereeing I've ever seen."
The Icecats are coming off an 8-0-1 road trip, one that helped cement them as one of the nation's top programs. The only blemish in the trip was a tie with Delaware, a game in which freshman goalkeeper Jason Morgan had to be lifted midway through the first period with a swollen hand.
"This road trip tested every facet of our team," Golembiewski said. "Now we need to focus on ASU and prepare for nationals. It's so important for us to head into nationals with momentum and focus."
The No. 15-ranked Sun Devils will end their season on the road at the TCC, while the Icecats will move on to the American Collegiate Hockey Association's national championship tournament, which takes place March 3-6 in Newark, Del.
"Everyone's trying to hype this game as a grudge match or a rivalry," Golembiewski said. "We just need to win these games and tune up for the tournament.
The Icecats are 10-3-1 this season at the TCC, losing once to Towson State and getting swept by No. 1-ranked Penn State over the winter break.
This game will not only be a rivalry match, but also a money-boosting event, as fans gather from statewide for the season-ending grudge match between two heated rivals, Golembiewski said
"It's an important game both financially and athletically," he said. "It's great to see people fill the place." - Ryan Finley
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