It was a learning experience.

The phrase is usually used after a team loses, but the Cyclone Hockey team didn’t lose last weekend. In fact, it won – twice. Yet the weekend was a “learning experience” because of the way it went about winning.

When the Cyclones (3-1) play Central Oklahoma (2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Ames/ISU Ice Arena, they may get a chance to prove they learned their lesson.

After the Cyclones dominated North Dakota State 11-3 last Friday, they came out flat on Saturday and trailed by two goals in the second period. The Cyclones, however, recovered to tie the game at four and eventually won, 5-4, in a shoot-out.

“They switched their style of play from Friday night to Saturday night and we were not ready for that,” junior Allen Raushel said. “We did underestimate them in that aspect for that weekend.”

The Cyclones won’t be able to afford a game two letdown in the future and want to play more consistent hockey if they blow out a team the night before.

“We have to wipe the slate clean no matter whether you lose or whether you win big,” coach Al Murdoch said. “It’s important to start from scratch, because it’s a 0-0 game.”

The come-from-behind win gave the Cyclones an opportunity to turn the letdown on Saturday into a positive for the rest of the season.

“It’s definitely another big booster for the team early on in the year, and it could end up helping us in the long run,” said senior goalie Trent Baker. “It just shows that no one gave up, and that’s a good sign.”

But the Cyclones don’t want to be playing catch-up later in the season against better opponents, and aren’t planning to make a habit of falling behind when they face Central Oklahoma.

This weekend, the Cyclones want to continue jelling as a team and will rely on last week’s player of the week, Baker, to continue his stellar play.

“He came in and played a very strong game and when it got to the shoot-out he played phenomenal, only letting two goals in,” Raushel said. “You cant win a shoot-out without having a good goalie, and that’s exactly what we have with Baker.”