Seniors share emotional weekend after sweep
Senior defenseman Mike Dopko fights his way to the puck during the match against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 31, resulting in a 2-1 loss.
March 2, 2015
Tears were shed as the Cyclones closed out their regular season, and it wasn’t because of the play on the ice.
The Cyclones celebrated their seniors during the weekend in style with a series sweep against the Midland Warriors, winning the first game 5-1 and the second game on senior night 13-0.
The Cyclones will graduate nine seniors, a large class considering the team’s history, and most of them saw action throughout the weekend.
Overshadowing the game on the ice were the players playing it.
During the first intermission on Feb. 28, Cyclone Hockey honored all nine seniors and their families. It became obvious that this was an emotional night for the entire group, some of whom may never play hockey again following the season.
“For me, this could be it,” said visibly-emotional senior goaltender Scott Ismond, who has been with the Cyclones for five years. “Hockey has been a part of my life for 19 years and … to spend five years with a team, you form an emotional attachment. This place has been home for me.”
As the Cyclones racked up goal after goal, the team tried to get some others in on the action. One of those players was Mike Dopko.
Dopko, the captain of the Cyclones, had six points entering the Feb. 28 game — none of them a goal. Dopko has been heavily touted throughout the season for his ability to play solid defense, but he hasn’t been able to convert that to offense. The team clamored to head coach Jason Fairman for Dopko to get a chance to score.
Fairman answered by moving Dopko to the forward position. It didn’t work. Dopko said after the game that he “just felt uncomfortable” playing the position. But as he moved back to defense, he got the chance he was looking for.
He jumped in on an offensive rush and received a pass from Preston Blanek that found the back of the net. The Cyclone bench and faithful responded with a standing ovation.
“It’s been a while since I’ve scored, so it felt great,” Dopko said. “The team asked me if I wanted the chance, and I thought, why not give it a go?”
But the weekend’s positives didn’t stop with the seniors. The team was also able to play at an elite level in its last series in the regular season.
Scoring has been an issue for the Cyclones all year long, but it was hard to tell as the Cyclones tallied a season-high 13 goals in their final game. The scoring breakout comes at a convenient time as well, with the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament just around the corner.
“It’s great to get some confidence going into nationals,” said senior forward J.P. Kascsak, who scored in the second period. “We scored from all over [the ice] and stuck to our plays and it paid off. I’m just excited to get rolling at nationals.”
When Fairman scheduled the game against the Warriors, he had a main focus in mind — to keep the team sharp heading into the national tournament. They accomplished that during the weekend.
“We accomplished what we needed to over the weekend,” Fairman said. “We looked sharp for the most part. Overall, I was pleased with the effort. I’m excited for our prospects heading into the national tournament.”
