With an extra day off and ample time to rest, Cyclone Hockey came ready to take on the defending national champions.

Cyclone Hockey lit up its side of the scoreboard first, 5:45 into the first period with a goal from Alex Grupe, with no assists on the play. Then at 12:59 the team increased their lead making the score 2-0 as Azevedo goes up top on University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos goalie Alex Henry.

The Bronchos cut the lead in half, late in the first period, with a goal by Ryan Duley that originally was dismissed before the referees allowed it.

This goal served to be the turning point of the game as the Cyclones were held for the rest of the first period and all throughout the second. During this time the Bronchos scored three more goals.

The first, which tied the game at two, came from Connor Venne at 7:13 of the second period, followed by Brandon Formosa with an assist from Josh Wyatt at 9:33 and Andrei Novikov at 13:29.

Coming into the third period, the Cyclones started off with a little more energy than they had heading to the locker room after the second, but even that didn’t help.

The Cyclones went on to fall 4-2 to the Bronchos.

The Cyclones will have another chance at the Bronchos as they meet again at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena Saturday Jan. 30 at 8 p.m.