Brothers feeding off one another

Dan Kempner Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior right wing Brian Meehan (14) skates down the ice during the game against Rhode Island Nov. 6 at the Tucson Convention Center. Brian Meehan and his brother, freshman Kevin Meehan, have been major contributors off the bench for the unbeaten Icecats.

One of the seniors is utilityman Brian Meehan, who along with his brother Kevin, a freshman, is a major part of the Icecats' undefeated season.

Every team needs a jack of all trades, a gutsy utilityman who is unafraid to do what it takes.

"He's as solid a utility player as we've had," Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski said. "He's not flashy, not flamboyant, but he's just a solid player, a good student and a better person."

The elder Meehan is slightly more humble in his assessment of his role on the team.

"I'll do whatever it takes to win," Meehan said. "I played defense for a few games, I've also played a lot of center and wing. I'll play wherever they need me."

So far, it's paid off for not only Meehan but for the team.

The Icecats stand at 9-0-1 and remain the only unbeaten team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, a statistic which will raise the team's ranking from sixth in the nation.

With polls coming out today, look for the Icecats to improve on their previous rank.

The younger Meehan brother, Kevin, is a freshman left-wing who has come on strong recently off the bench.

Although backing up sophomore co-captain Paul Dorn is no easy task, the freshman has handled it all in stride.

"Everybody has their role, mine is to put the puck in the net with the second line," Kevin Meehan said. "The whole team knows how they can contribute."

Although he admits they've only played together once, three years ago, Kevin Meehan admits this season with his brother has been a learning experience.

"In practice, we feed off of each other," Brian Meehan said.

Golembiewski stressed the Meehans, natives of Skokie, Ill., are even better people than they are athletes.

"Over the years, I've befriended the boys and their family and they're great, hard-working, solid people," Golembiewski said. "They work in the classroom, on the ice and with people."

With aseries against Arizona State this weekend, Brian Meehan enters his fourth year in the rivalry.

"He's told me for so long how great these games are," Kevin Meehan said. "I've never played them before, but Brian has. He's making an intense situation a lot easier to handle. I'm glad he's here."

Ryan Finley can be reached via e-mail at Ryan.Finley@wildcat.arizona.edu.