KSU’s club hockey team continued its undefeated record Friday and Saturday with home wins against Florida State University and North Carolina State, bringing their record to 13-0.
The American Collegiate Hockey Association posted the rankings of the 2012-2013 season with KSU ranked first in the South portion of the Division 3 league.
“We have played excellent so far,” said forward Justin Day. “When we’ve played weaker teams we could have played better, but when we play good teams like tonight, we step up.”
Saturday night’s game against the N.C. State Wolfpack was rough for the Owls with a final score of 5-4. KSU was shorted a goal in the first period when a goaltender interference call negated the goal.
“This was the first team that really challenged us,” defensemen Taylor Morin said. “We stepped up to the plate, but we definitely have a few things to work on. Every single goal they scored was on a powerplay so we have to stay out of the box.”
The Owls offense was led by center Graham Leiding, with goals early in the second and third periods. Another leading scorer for the Owls was Day with a hat-trick, scoring two goals in the second period and one in the third.
“It’s always fun to get a hat- trick,” Day said. “This was just a battle between two really good teams.”
Morin was a defensive force for the Owls throughout the game. He received three of the team’s four penalties on Saturday including two roughing penalties, one major and one minor penalty.
Morin was involved in a few scuffles and fights throughout the game, one between Morin and Billy Manuella behind the net in the third period and another near the end of the second.
With six minutes left in the second period Morin defended his goaltender from N.C. State’s Alec Engel and checked him after the whistle. This play resulted in a fight involving Morin, Engel, the Wolfpack’s Garrett Sunda and a number of other players from both teams.
“They were a little chippy and tried to run our goalie at the end there,” said Morin. “I was just doing my job and defending the goalie.”
“It’s immature of them,” Morin said. “I just kind of smile and walk away because they’re the immature one.”
Morin was beat-up after the game requiring ice for his neck after an N.C. State player slashed at the end of the game.
N.C. State players Mackie Hayman and Manuella were involved in many scuffles throughout the game as well including one involving Hayman at the end of the game.
“In the ACHA that’s actually a pretty decent game,” Day said. “We kept it together. We’re usually a penalty team so that was pretty good for us.”
The Owls outshot the Wolfpack 63 shots on goal to N.C. State’s 30. The Wolfpack however received many more penalties than the Owls with a total of nine.
“You get frustrated when you’re going so hard,” Day said. “People get a little gritty and you just lose your temper sometimes.”
Despite the fact that KSU’s hockey team is an entirely player-funded organization, meaning that the team pays for all of their equipment, ice time, uniforms, etc, they manage to raise money for fundraisers as well.
KSU held Pink Out the Rink at Friday night’s game to raise money for breast cancer awareness. There was roughly 700 fans in attendance and the team raised about $1,300.
This weekend the Owls will travel to Florida to play Tampa on Thursday and a double- header against Florida Gulf Coast Friday and Saturday. Florida Gulf Coast was previously ranked first in the South, but is ranked seventh this year.
The first half of the season will conclude this weekend and will pick back up in January.
“I think we’re going to the National Championship,” Day said. “Without a doubt.”
