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Arizona Hockey: IceCats beat up rivals in season finale

By Shereen Rayan

Photo taken by Shereen Rayan 02/20/16
Photo taken by Shereen Rayan 02/20/16 /
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The Arizona Hockey team, or the IceCats, played their last game of the season against their rivals in front of a packed house on Saturday night.

The Arizona IceCats hockey team doesn’t always grab as many fans as they’re due, but tonight was a different story. Tonight they packed the arena full of Wildcats fans who were in for a some hard hits, a big brawl, as well as  some disappointment. Anytime Wildcats can legally, through sport, hit some Sun Devils, fans enjoy it for some reason [wink emoji].

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The Arizona Wildcats ACHA Division II team (9-17-4) and ASU’s Division II hockey team (32-2-2) played in the Wildcats last home game on Saturday night. It’s been a rough first season in NCAA Division I for the Sun Devils, but the ASU ACHA team is having a near perfect season. The NCAA Division I Devils had beaten the Wildcats in October 8-1 in their last meeting. The last time the Cats took on the ASU ACHA team, lost 4-1 as they did on Saturday night. In all the Wildcats had lost to the Division II Devil’s four times and the NCAA Division I Devils twice this season. Needless to say, the Cats were hoping to upset ASU, at least they weren’t shut out.

What made the game fun, if you love hockey as much as we do, was the explosive hits and brawl that broke out in the middle of the third period. There is just something fun about watching our Cats beat up some Sun Devils on the ice. It was chippy the entire game, but the Sun Devils, who took the brunt of the hits in the game, were extremely proficient at keeping the puck out of their goal as a team. In other words, the goalie got a ton of help.

Photo taken by Shereen Rayan 02/20/16
Photo taken by Shereen Rayan 02/20/16 /

The Arizona Wildcats hockey team was attempting to better their record of 11-22-3 record from last season. Although Arizona’s Hockey head coach Chad Berman has yet to garner a winning season, take into account it is his only his second year running the program.

This season, the team continued to have a below .500 season at 9-16-4. That said, coach Berman and his team ended up being ranked in the top 17 earning a No. 16 seed to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I National Tournament. Their first tournament game will be held March 3rd in Chicago, IL against the No. 1 seed Western Michigan University team (19-10-4).

Arizona’s home ice is located in the intimate Tucson Convention Center Arena in downtown Tucson walking distance from the restaurants and clubs. The Pride of Arizona band showed up for the game adding extra flair and energy.

Like football and basketball games, ‘U of A’ chants prevail, but there are several unique traditions which make going to the Hockey games. Wildcats fan Kade Kirkendall filled us in as follows:

  1. Each time the opponents score, the fans chant, ‘Who cares?’
  2. After the Ice Cats score, the entire crowd chants in unison ‘He shoots, he scores! Hey goalie, you suck! It’s all your fault, it’s all your fault, it’s all your fault!’ Good sportsmanship at its finest.
  3. During the 1st intermission, a couple of fans are chosen to attempt to score 3 goals to win a car.
  4. During the 2nd intermission is the “Chuck a Puck” competition. If you chuck your puck onto the ice and it lands on the logo on the prize mat, you can win gift cards.
  5. During the intermissions, if you run down and put your hand on the glass, the Zamboni guy will make sure he gives you a high-five through the glass, every single hand.

If you didn’t make it out to an IceCats game this season, plan on it next season. Great atmosphere along with a fast-paced physical game is great entertainment. Fans thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even though the Cats lost, they kicked some Sun Devil butt.

More wildcats: Arizona Basketball: What fork? Wildcats dominate the Sun Devils

BearDown IceCats! Good luck in March in your tournament!

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