HOCKEY: Broncos break ISU momentum
ISU goalie Paul Karus makes a save against St. Louis in the Cyclones’ 5–3 win over the Billikens on Dec. 5. Karus stopped all but three of the 29 shots that came his way against Western Michigan on Friday night. The Cyclones won 6–3 before falling to the Broncos in game two of the series 6–0, the first time they had been shut out this season. Photo: Rebekkah Brown/Iowa State Daily
January 12, 2010
Coach Al Murdoch looked out upon the ice in the Cyclones second game of the series against the Broncos from Western Michigan and didn’t recognize his opponent.
After the Cyclones’ 6-3 victory in the opening game of the series, the Broncos came out and took it to the Cyclones in the second game, coming away with a 6-0 victory.
It was the first time the Cyclones had been shut out this season. Murdoch was quick to give the Bronco team credit as he feels that they seem to steal a game from the Cyclones every year.
“It was a different Western Michigan team in the second game,” Murdoch said. “They were faster, stronger and more physical. They only gave up four penalties in the entire game. In the first game they gave up six penalties just in the first period. We took them too lightly on Saturday and we paid the price for it.”
Murdoch stressed his team can not afford to be shut out again.
This was the Cyclones first live action since students left for winter break, two weeks without the team skating against an opponent. The Cyclones appeared to not have lost their step in the first game of the series, but the second game proved that the break wasn’t good for the Cyclones’ momentum.
“The break definitely hurt us,” Murdoch said. “We were playing real well before Christmas and had a lot of momentum so it slowed us down. I think the team is still playing hard, but it just looks like we have lost a step at this point in the season more so than other years. We’ll get it back though.”
The 6-0 defeat put the team’s toughness into question; particularly its mental toughness. The team didn’t respond the way it usually does when they let up a goal, which is usually with a hard hit or a quick score of its own.
“They (Western Michigan) just outworked us in the second game,” Josh Mandich said. “We weren’t near as mentally tough as we need to be.”
Goalie Paul Karus, who was at least able to give the Cyclones a chance to get back in the game during the second matchup, felt that this was merely a road block for the team and that it will have no problem getting past it.
