Arizona Hockey drops first game in ACHA Tournament to Liberty
FRISCO, TX- After a successful season, the Arizona Hockey team ends the year on a tough note, losing to Liberty in the first round of the ACHA Tournament.
It was a great year of Hockey in Tucson, as the Arizona Hockey team gave us plenty to cheer about during the 2018-19 season.
A year that saw a Cactus Cup Championship, a first ever Western Collegiate Hockey League championship for the Cats and another ACHA Tournament appearance, things are definitely on the up for the Wildcats.
Arizona Wildcats
Entering the annual club tournament as a No. 9 seed, the Wildcats traveled to Frisco, TX to take on the No. 8 Liberty Flames in the first round of the ACHA Tournament.
Not having played since March 3, the Cats kicked off the first round of the tournament on Saturday.
Looking to pick things right where they left off, the Wildcats were seemingly ready to go at the drop of the puck, scoring early on a goal from Josh Larson to make it 1-0 in the first period.
However, it didn’t take long for Liberty to get back in this one, putting a goal past Anthony Ciurro to tie it up 1-1 just before the end of the first period. Luckily, both teams would end the period knotted at one.
Entering the second period, hoping to put together another strong period of hockey, the Cats began to become a bit unraveled. Arizona would surrender a goal to make it 2-1 early in the period, and would play stellar defense until the Flames would add two more goals late in the period, just before its end.
Trailing 4-1 to start the third, the Wildcats would do their best to rally, but just couldn’t find the magic in this one, falling to Liberty by a 7-2 final. With the tough loss, the Wildcats will return to Tucson empty-handed from the ACHA Tournament, but as stated, it was a great year for the Cats.
A reminder about the 2018-19 season: WCHL Champs AND Cactus Cup Champs with a 8-0 sweep vs ASU. WCHL mvp & first team all-stars. WILDCATS! pic.twitter.com/R0fCmyabQp
— UAZ Wildcat Hockey (@UAWildcatHockey) March 24, 2019
Head coach Chad Berman certainly has the Cats getting better every single year, but for now, we will have to wait until the 2019-20 season.
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At Zona Zealots, we would like to congratulate the Wildcats on the successful season. We know it ended earlier than we all would have liked, but we’re incredibly proud of our Cats! Bear Down, Arizona!