Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Icecats continue unbeaten streak

Continuing its roll to the American Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs, the Icecats extended its unbeaten streak to 16 games by sweeping the weekend series against the Saint Louis Bilikens.

Scoring his 200th career point and 100th career goal as an Icecat, junior center Marc Harris cemented himself as one of the top Icecats in the 20-year history of the program this weekend.

Harris' only goal Friday was his 100th overall, which helped the Icecats defeat the Bilikens, 7-3. On Saturday night, Harris reached another milestone, as his first goal - the second of the game - was his 200th point. The No. 6 Icecats also took that game, 5-1.

That point moved Harris to tenth on the all-time list of Icecat scorers.

Saturday night's contest started off as a defensive struggle. Sophomore goaltender Jason Morgan made several key saves that helped to keep the game scoreless.

Arizona (17-1-2) showed flashes of scoring in the second period that seemed to unnerve St. Louis goaltender Justin Stiehr.

One minute into the second period, junior right wing Ed Carfora skated around the goalie in an attempt to pass the puck off to junior left wing Paul Dorn. The puck bounced off a defenseman's skate and into the net, giving the Icecats a 1-0 lead.

Two goals from Harris and a blue line slap shot from sophomore defenseman Pavel Jandura made it 4-0.

Carfora closed off the game with a shot past Stiehr during the third period.

UA head coach Leo Golembiewski, not impressed with the execution of the lines in the first period, switched up all of the lines at intermission. The move seemed to work, as the Icecats netted four second period goals.

But Morgan's play between the pipes is what kept the Icecats in the game. Morgan stopped 26 of 27 shots, 14 in the second period. St. Louis repeatedly crowded in front of the net hoping for a rebound or to block the vision of Morgan

"Those are the toughest shots to see. You can't really see it coming, so you just hope they hit you," Morgan said.

Friday's contest wasn't as close as St. Louis(13-16-1) never came within two goals.

The Icecats have some time off before traveling to Tempe on Saturday to play Arizona State. ASU tied St. Louis on Thursday night 5-5.

The Icecats are have not lost to Arizona State in nine straight appearances, going 8-0-1.

The win puts the Icecats one step closer to gaining a ACHA tournament bid. The top eight ranked teams at the end of the regular season enter the tournament, which takes place in Minot, N.D. the first weekend in March