Whew!
The Icers finished their regular season as the first Icers team to go undefeated, but it didn’t come without last minute efforts from University of Buffalo and Buffalo State.
“It is like a big monkey off our back to finish the season undefeated,” Icers coach Joe Battista said.
The Icers picked up a 9-5 victory over Buffalo State Saturday, and coasted through a narrow 4-2 victory over the University of Buffalo on Friday.
The University of Buffalo Bengals, whom the Icers spanked with 30 goals in two games earlier in the season, held the undefeated Icers to only four goals.
Battista said the score was not true to the Icers’ dominance in the match.
“We really put it to Buffalo, but their goaltender was outstanding,” he said. “We had the puck in their end of the ice 90 percent of the time. We just weren’t finishing the goals.”
Senior Forward Dave Murphy said the close game may be attributed to some underestimating on the part of the Icers and believed raw talent got them through it.
“It is hard to get up for a team you’ve beaten 20-0 and 30-0,” Murphy said. “Our heads just weren’t in the game.”
Senior Forward Rob Keegan started the Icers’ scoring about 10 minutes into the first period, but the Bengals answered three minutes later to put a cap on the scoring in the first period.
After a lethargic first period the Icers had some introspection during the break, and decided a larger effort was in line for the remainder of the match, Murphy said.
“I think we forgot what got us here, what made us undefeated,” he said.
Not even a minute into the second period senior forward Steve Karl with an assist from Murphy launched a goal and the Icers into the lead. Murphy followed that with a goal of his own for his 200th career point. Murphy is only the eighth Icer to have over 200 points, but he said the personal goals are not the important ones.
“I think everybody is happy when they hit a personal landmark,” Murphy said. Senior forward Ross Cowan capped Icer scoring late in the second period to make the score 4-1.
The Bengals scored the only third period goal, but were completely shut down from that point on. The Icers allowed only three Bengal shots on goal in the third period.
The Icers carried this momentum over into their corraling of Thundering Herd of Buffalo State. The Herd was undefeated at home and built the game up to be a showdown, and had the power play to back it up. The Herd power play units charged in four goals against the Icers.
Senior forward Chris Cervellero set the tone for the game when he started the scoring with an Icers power play goal. The Herd answered shortly after with a power play goal of their own.
Cowan scored a goal to put the Icers back into the lead, and tie him for the single season scoring record at 38. Murphy followed with his third point of the weekend to give the Icers a two point cushion.
The Herd, not fit to be tied, trampled the Icers cushion with a goal late in the first period, and another at the top of the second period.
In a scattered version of the Icers’ flurry they racked up three unanswered goals. The only other threat presented by the Herd came in the form of a goal, which Battista called a fluke.
Senior Goaltender John Gray laid his glove on a Herd shot on goal, and waited for the ensuing whistle. The whistle never blew, and the Herd poked at Gray until the puck broke loose and crossed the goal line.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t blow the whistle,” Gray said. “I had the puck covered with my glove, and the refs are supposed to blow the whistle when they lose sight of the puck.”
Junior Mark Cervellero finished off the scoring for the game and the regular season to make the score 9-5.
Battista said he was pleased with the game, and felt it was a good way to end an undefeated season.
“It was a good gut check for us,” Battista said. “That was the kind of game we need to go into the playoffs. Now it is a clean slate, and we’ve got to work for the Nationals.”