The excitement level rises in the Ames/ISU Ice Arena during a line change in the similar, yet condensed way it rises when Mike Warren gets his hands on the football just a few blocks away in Jack Trice Stadium for the Cyclone football team.

Roughly every 60 seconds, three new forwards jump on the ice with hopes of putting a puck past the opposing goaltender. Statistics prove all three lines for Cyclone Hockey are capable of putting the puck in the back of the net.

But there is something different about Cyclone Hockey when Tony Uglem, Aaron Azevedo and Colton Kramer are on the offensive attack. Anytime the trio is on the ice together, something good seems bound to happen.

The defense gets put on its heels and the energy in the arena feels like the Cyclones, with the help of Uglem, Azevedo and Kramer, will not be denied from scoring and dominating the game.

“I’m starting to hear language that they might be the best line in the country,” said Cyclone Hockey coach Jason Fairman. “I’ve heard that a couple times from people outside of [Cyclone Hockey] make that comment.”

The talk is certainly warranted. Kramer leads the Central States Hockey League in points and goals and trails only Azevedo in assists. Uglem isn’t far behind, recording 16 goals just one less than Kramer’s 17.

But Fairman was quick to add that he didn’t agree with those who said the line was the best in the country, at least not yet. Afterall, the trio has only been on campus in Ames for just over one semester.

“It’s clearly unusual to have three freshmen lead your team in scoring,” Fairman said.

Despite it being unusual and the line appearing to be inexperienced, Kramer, Uglem and Azevedo gelled quickly from the time they were put together at the beginning of the season.

“We always know where each other are going to be,” Kramer said. “Sometimes we don’t even have to look.”

The success came early for the trio as the Cyclones got out to an impressive start to the season including sweeping defending national champion Central Oklahoma on the road and sweeping current No. 1 Lindenwood at home.

But in the final weeks of the first semester, Fairman broke the line up, moving Jon Severson to play with Uglem and Azevedo and moving Kramer to play with Jake Bruhn and Preston Blanek. Fairman cited reasons of lack of production and effort both as individuals and as a line.

That move lasted a couple of weeks before second semester opened with the daunting task of taking down undefeated Minot State.

“They were very good early in the year and it was worth another chance to see if they could bring back some of the production they had earlier in the year,” Fairman said.

After knocking some rust off in the first time back, a 7-3 loss to Minot State, the line came out and showed their dominance the next game. They accounted for all of the points scored en route to handing Minot State its first regulation loss of the entire season.

“We kind of joked around saying ‘We’re back,’’ Azevedo said.

The dominance didn’t stop after that game. The four goals against Minot State were the first four on the way to seven straight goals from either Kramer, Uglem or Azevedo. After the line got their ‘feel back’ in the first game against Minot State, Kramer, Uglem or Azevedo have at least assisted on 79 percent of the goals the Cyclones have scored in the second semester.

The dominance has led the Cyclones to a No. 9 ranking in the American Collegiate Hockey Association on the back of a talented and young top line.

“We recruited these guys for a reason,” Fairman said. “I think we had a pretty good idea of what they were capable of.”