When tryouts began in the fall, freshmen Marcus Malmsten and Chris Cucullu each worked hard to gain the respect of the coaching staff, and toward placement on the roster for the 2010-2011 Cyclone hockey team. During those preliminary auditions, chemistry developed.

“In tryouts we thought we had good chemistry,” Cucullu said. “We thought they would throw us in a line together.”

Now, a few games into the second semester of play, Malmsten and Cucullu have been on the same line together for a while. Senior Mike Lebler, a key veteran presence out on the ice, anchors the two young guns.

“Lebler is easy to work with,” Malmsten said. “He’s a tremendous player. Anyone can play with him.”

The senior forward is closing in on 200 points in his career. During the mid-season slump, Lebler suggested Malmsten and Cucullu should be put together. The coaches, trusting and respecting the voice of their players, listened. So far this semester, results have been positive.

“It’s probably one of our more skilled lines,” said assistant coach Brian Wierson. “They’ve been a unit, they’ve solidified. We want guys to play together, and you hope there’s chemistry, and I think those guys got a real nice chemistry with the way they’re working.”

The chemistry was on display all weekend long. In Friday’s game, Lebler and Malmsten scored goals, with Lebler adding the assist. Saturday, the line produced five goals, including two more from Malmsten. Before this weekend’s series, the line had accounted for goals in three of four games. The combination of the senior forward with the two freshmen is beginning to fine-tune their groove out on the ice.

“Some players just think alike, and they feed off of each other,” Wierson said. “As far as units go that’s one of the better units we have that do that. They work hard.”

Wierson also said that during Saturday’s game, their line was the best on bearing down on the net. Accounting for five goals on the night is no accident. It doesn’t hurt to have Lebler, the leading scorer for the Cyclones this season, playing alongside Cucullu and Malmsten. 

“We have good chemistry on our line, we move the puck well and we create scoring chances I guess. We’re a good offensive line,” Malmsten said.

The win streak for the Cyclones is now at seven games. Both line-mates expressed a sense of confidence they have now that has been hard to come by in the beginning of the season.

Despite the jelling of teammates and the lopsided scores this weekend, Cucullu said there is always something to work on.

“I thought I got too carried away and tried to stick check a lot,” Cucullu said. “I don’t think I’m the only one. If we focus on playing solid defensive hockey, play the body and everything will pan out just fine.”