12/11/2012

When a team gains momentum, it can be a dangerous situation for any opponent.  The UT Hockey team has given themselves that advantage going into the Spring semester as they closed out the Fall with four straight wins.  All four of the W’s came against Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League (TSCHL) foes, making the wins that much sweeter as the Rockets chase a regular season conference championship.

After a rough Great Lakes Invitational showing Thanksgiving weekend, the Rockets were able to return to the friendly confines of the Team Toledo Ice House to take on the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Having dominated the Hawks a month prior in Pittsburgh, the Rockets came in confident and cruised to a 6-3 victory.  Leading the way for UT was freshmen Zach Born who recorded his first collegiate hat trick.  His three goal performance was helped out by Ryan Sell and Dan Conway who each doled out three assists.  Also adding their names to the score sheet were Tyler Althouse, Garryt Kujawa, and Sven Weisser with a goal apiece.  Nate Connolly also earned two assists and Justin Phillips picked up another.  In net, David Rieckhoff made 24 saves which were more than enough to give the Rockets the victory.

The Rockets followed up their performance against IUP with an even more dominating performance against visiting West Virginia University.  The Rockets were facing off against a team they hadn’t yet seen this year, but whom had a reputation for being a scrappy bunch.  The Mountaineer goaltenders struggled though, and the Rockets took full advantage putting up 11 goals in total.  All but two players in the Rocket line up notched at least a point and nine of those players recorded multiple points.  Leading the way for the Rockets were Phillips with four total points (2G, 2A), followed by Kyle Swansegar (2G, 1A), Chris Watkins (2G, 1A), Weisser (2G, 1A), and Kujawa (3A).  Freshmen Zac Cherney saw plenty of work, earning 30 saves on the night.

After playing so well at home for two games, the Rockets took to the road again to play the Cincinnati Bearcats.  In game one of the two game series, the Rockets started slow and trailed 2-1 after the first period.  They found their game in the second though putting up three unanswered goals and following that up with four more in the third period.  Leading the way for the Rockets was shifty centerman Garryt Kujawa who added two goals and two assists to his stat line.  Zach Born also had a good night contributing two goals and an assist.  Also turning multiple point performances were Scott Girardi, Jordan Jones, Justin Saunders, and Zach Kinney who finally earned his first collegiate goal.  David Rieckhoff once again played well in net making 44 stops.

In the final game of the semester, the Rockets squared up with the Bearcats once again at the historic Cincinnati Gardens.  The Bearcats may have had the home ice advantage but the game was controlled the whole way by UT.  In another dominate performance, the Rockets lit the lamp nine times and helped Zac Cherney earn his first collegiate shutout.  The shutout was also a first for the Rockets in the last seven years.  Leading the offensive attack were freshmen Logan Myers, Jones, and Born who each found the back of the net twice.  Justin Phillips pitched in with three assists and Sven Weisser added two.  Also earning a point in the final contest of the semester were Kyle Swansegar, Brendon Sokoloski, Saunders, Cody Goldstein, Girardi, and Daniel Conway.  Cherney made 23 saves to earn the goose-egg.

The conclusion of the first semester leaves the UT Rockets with a 15-7 overall record and a 10-1 mark in the TSCHL.  Regionally, the team is ranked 7^th heading into the third ranking which will take place during Winter Break.  When the 2^nd semester kicks off, the Rockets hope to pick up where they’ve left off and prove they deserve a place in the regional tournament.  In the meantime, be sure to check back often for updates on the team as they prepare for a great 2^nd semester to the 2012-2013 season.