Four players on the Cyclone hockey

team have 10 or more points this season. Three of those players are

on the same line — and are all freshmen.

The hot start to the season for Iowa

State (10-0-1-1) is partly attributed to the chemistry and

offensive output J.P. Kascsak, Jake Rombach and James Buttermore

have contributed thus far.

Nicknamed the “Three Stooges,”

Rombach and Kascsak both have six goals and six assists. Buttermore

is no slouch either — five and five for him.

“It started off kind of slow getting

used to each other,” Buttermore said. “But now that we’ve been

playing with each other for a while, we know where each other are

on the ice, and it’s easier to play that way.”

The top line has been a couple years

in the making. Rombach and Buttermore began their tandem when they

were on the same line in junior hockey in Winkler,

Manitoba.

Since moving to Ames and playing at

the collegiate level, only the uniforms have changed for the

duo.

“We already know each other’s habits

and tendencies,” Rombach said. “I like playing with my linemates.

We move the puck well.”

They’ve since added Kascsak to the

mix. The line was held in check for the most part in the past

series against Arizona, getting only a Kascsak goal from Buttermore

in the third period of the series finale.

Nevertheless, the line combo has 34

combined points this season, and that is just those three forwards

— not including any defenseman getting involved in the

act.

“This past weekend we hit a little

bump but I think we’ve got it,” Buttermore said. “This weekend

should be good, and we’re looking forward to it.”

When coach Al Murdoch paid a visit

to Manitoba for scouting, he saw what Buttermore and Rombach had on

the ice and made it a point that they stick together on a line if

they chose to come to Iowa State.

“I talked to their coach and told

him what I was after, what we needed that we didn’t have at that

point in time,” Murdoch said. “I wanted a step up from where we had

been the previous 12 months.”

The chemistry they have developed

goes further than what fans will see on the ice during games.

Rombach and Buttermore live together and are known for pulling

pranks in the locker room.

“Great guys on the team, they’re

always supporting teammates,” said senior Brian Rooney. “They’re

kind of like the three stooges out there. Overall they clicked, and

it’s worked right from the beginning.”

Buttermore said the pranks are

rather simple like snipping laces on skates. It is all about

keeping a good vibe in the locker room, but when coaches speak

during practice, they listen. Come game time, it is a business-like

attitude.

“At practice we were having a lot of

fun, and Coach calls us over and said guys we really have to focus

here,” Buttermore said. “Sometimes you have a little too much fun,

but luckily everyone’s a good listener and works hard in

practice.”

A ‘coachable’

team

The “Three Stooges” are part of a

large freshmen contingent in the Cyclones. Though last year’s squad

was young, this year’s might be younger, as Rooney is the only

senior.

Iowa State has 10 of 12 games this

season. Last year at this time, the Cyclones were 5-7-0 and on

their way to a disappointing first semester finish at

12-14-0.

After getting swept at home last

fall by Oklahoma, Iowa State split the series this year, losing in

overtime.

Murdoch said the difference this

season from last is how his players respond to coaching.

“This team is more responsive to

coaching than last year’s team was,” Murdoch said. “It’s a bit

surprising, almost shocking, last fall at how unresponsive they

were after losing in the national championship game and having a

large percentage of those players back.”

Entering this year with more new

players, Murdoch said he has increased his level of

intensity.

“I’ve always been a pretty intense

coach, but I’ve been probably as intense, if not more intense, than

ever before,” Murdoch said.

Rooney, who played on a playoff team

two years ago and last year’s disappointing squad, said the

attitude and mentality of the new guys is a stark contrast from

what he saw last year.

“Guys have come together so well.

Everybody’s bought in from the start,” Rooney said. “When everybody

is pulling the rope in one direction, it’s easier to win the tug of

war. We had some guys leave the program who weren’t as

coachable.

“I think this year the personalities

of the new guys are just amazing, positive and

team-oriented.”

Excluding the graduating seniors, 10

players from last year’s team are not on this year’s squad for

various reasons, which put a lot of pressure on Murdoch to fill all

those slots in his roster.

Hence, the 2011-2012 team is laden

with freshmen that, so far, are responsive and simply willing to

learn.

“We’re freshmen so we do as we [are]

told,” Rombach said.

A lot of point production was lost

from the seniors and the underclassmen that left. But Murdoch said

that’s not a concern.

“We don’t miss any of those that

aren’t back,” Murdoch said. “They’ve been replaced by people who

are doing as well if not better point-wise.”

Iowa State’s next series is at home

against Illinois starting Friday night.