After last weekend’s action between the ISU hockey team and the Arizona State Ice Devils, two things are certain.

First, the Cyclones remain undefeated two weeks into the regular season. Second, ISU proved that when they are focused they are capable of nearly flawless play.

Following a lackluster performance that earned them a 2-2 tie Friday night off of a fluke long distance slapshot from ISU’s Bob Dressel, the Cyclones struck back with a vengeance Saturday night blowing out the Ice Devils 10-2.

“We had a really good team meeting after Friday’s tie,” ISU forward Darren Anderson said. “We turned the negatives into positives and lit up the scoreboard.”

Anderson provided all the offense the Cyclones would need, registering a hat trick in the second period.

Blueliner John Paolello said that the Cyclones were much more focused during Saturday night’s contest. “We probably underestimated (ASU) Friday night,” Paolello said. “We weren’t ready mentally. Tonight was a different story.”

ISU was more than ready for the weekend finale.

The Ice Devils opened the scoring at 7:10 of the first period. The Cyclones would answer 12 minutes later when Darcy Anderson fought off an aggressive ASU rearguard and slipped a sweet backhand pass to teammate Pat Feezor. Feezor took the shot and Darren Anderson deflected it by ASU goalie Greg Powers to tie the score at one apiece. The score would remain tied at the end of the first period.

ISU would have to do without the skills of captain Doug Borud for the majority of the second period as he served a misconduct for manhandling half the ASU skaters. A frustrated Borud threw all comers around like a group of rag dolls.

ISU netminder Rob Howitt continued to dazzle fans as he has done in all of his starts this season. After making some tough saves early in the second period, Howitt took center stage on an ASU breakaway. Howitt denied the Ice Devil shooter at 6:02 of the second and helped turn the momentum irreversibly in ISU’s favor.

ISU would take the lead 2-1 at 7:59 and the rout was on. Cyclone Jason Vega buried what would prove to be the game-winner at 10:01 on a feed from Chris Poli.

The Anderson brothers struck again at 12:10 of the second with Darren scoring the goal and Darcy picking up the assist. Only two minutes later, Darren would complete the hat-trick and chase the ASU goaltender from the game.

ISU’s final two goals of the period were definitely show-stoppers. Cyclone Mike Brown flashed his penalty-killing skills when he beat ASU’s Jason Pearce in a race to the puck after it was cleared into the Ice Devil’s zone. Brown reached the puck just ahead of Pearce and instantly flipped the puck over the left shoulder of ASU goalie Ross Steinberg for the short-handed tally.

Then it was ISU captain Rusty Crawford’s turn to wow the capacity crowd with his best Bobby Orr impersonation. Crawford took the puck behind his own net and broke out of the zone carrying the puck down the right side at breakneck speed. Crawford pulled up at the face-off circle to the left of Steinberg and ripped a shot by the ASU backstop to give the Cyclones a 7-1 lead at the end of two periods of play.

The Cyclones continued their offensive onslaught in the final period. ISU defenseman Greg Jones notched his first goal of the year with the man advantage at 3:09 of the period.

ASU would score 10 minutes into the period, but the Cyclones would retaliate immediately with a goal from Cyclone backliner DeHang Sun with the assist once again going to Darcy Anderson at 11:26. Sun, a crowd favorite since his first appearance two weeks ago when he nearly decapitated an Illinois forward, also picked up an assist and ten penalty minutes in the game.

Saturday’s match also featured the first Cyclone fight of the year and it was definitely a battle to remember. ASU’s play appeared to grow more chippy as the blowout wore on. Tempers finally boiled over between Poli and ASU’s big guy Keith McElroy (6-4, 220).

Poli administered a beating to McElroy despite giving up three inches and 20 pounds to the Ice Devil.

With order restored and time winding down in the game, ISU captain Brian Wierson capped the scoring at 19:09. Wierson cruised down the left side and held the puck until the last possible moment. Wierson fired the puck from what looked from the stands to be an almost impossible angle and scored to give the Cyclones a most impressive 10-2 win.

Many players contributed defensively as well as on the scoreboard in the ISU victory. Paolello continued to provide the Cyclones with ultra-tenacious defense. Time and again Paolello reached back for extra effort to keep the puck in the attack zone and provide the Cyclones with more scoring opportunities.

Paolello also leads ISU blueliner’s in scoring this season with four goals and three assists. Paolello cited ISU’s focus as being key to the Cyclone victory.

“We didn’t have many breakdowns in the system tonight,” Paolello said. “We focused on the job we needed to do and played really solid defense.”

Howitt continues to be the Cyclone’s most valuable defensive asset. Howitt has already notched a shutout and also owns a goals against average of 1.6 and a save percentage of .921. Howitt has been in goal for all three ISU victories this season.

ISU assistant coach Markus Olsson praised the efforts of Howitt.

“He’s kept us in many games already,” Olsson said. “If he can maintain this level of play we will win a lot of games.”

The Cyclones hope to ride their strong showing into next week’s roadtrip to Michigan to take on Eastern Michigan and Michigan-Dearborn. “We’re starting to show how good we can be,” ISU head coach Al Murdoch said.

“We showed good composure throughout the game. We played nine different defensemen Friday and they all played solid intelligent hockey.”

The Cyclone’s record now stands at 3-1-2 overall, 2-0-2 in the ACHA and 1-0-1 in the CSCHL.

“We’re definitely on the right track,” Olsson said.

ISU returns home to host Ferris State Friday and Saturday October 25 and 26 at the Ames ISU Ice Arena.