By Larry Mullenix
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Eleven years ago, the UA club hockey team fell to Arizona State.
But 55 straight meetings since, including a 7-4 win at Tempe last Saturday, the Icecats have come away winners.
The Icecats took control of the game early in the first period with two quick power-play goals by Peter Scott, the last coming with just under eight and a half minutes left in the period.
Ricky Pope added another goal with just under two minutes left to make it 3-0, until ASU scored with five seconds left to make it 3-1.
In the second period the Icecats wandered from their game plan which allowed ASU to score two unanswered goals after Scott Hutchings scored to make it 4-1.
"We played a very sloppy second period and that allowed them to get back into the game," Icecat coach Leo Golembiewski said.
However, in the decisive third period the Icecats once again
proved they were the better team. Greg Mitchell scored with two minutes gone in the period. After ASU scored to make it 5-4, Mitchell scored again and Nate Soules followed with a goal just nine seconds later to end the scoring at 7-4.
However this was not the average thrashing the Icecats have become accustomed to, this was a physical battle.
"I'm always happy to go to ASU and get a win," Golembiewski said. "This was one of the more physical games that we have played with them.
"They have to be really frustrated playing us now because they haven't beaten us since 1983, I think that's why they played so physical Saturday."
Golembiewski also wondered about what he called 'interesting' calls by the referees.
"Dennis Hands was hit three times in the crease," he said, "and I believe that there is an unwritten rule that you just don't do that."
The Icecats were forced to give up their game plan of using quickness because of such factors as a smaller ice surface. The ice was warm, causing water to form on its surface.
"I didn't like getting away from our game plan but I'm happy with some of the things we did," Golembiewski said. "It was our first game and we got a win so I'm happy with the outcome."