In back-to-back home games over the weekend UK ice hockey had to overcome 1-0 first period deficits and in both games UK came back and won decisively.

The Cool Cats played their rival Louisville Cardinals Friday night and won 18-2. The game was expected to be a blow-out given UK had already beat Louisville 17-2 earlier in the year.

The Cats were aware that a more formidable opponent was waiting for them the following night when they would be hosting the University of Maryland in Baltimore County.

“We need to play with the same intensity we did tonight,” senior defenseman and team captain Andrew Serres said following the Louisville game. “Tomorrow’s game will be a lot more physical.”

UK’s players had been waiting months to face off in Saturday’s game against UMBC.

Coming into the Saturday night’s game, UMBC was ranked No. 2 and UK No. 11. Each game on UK’s schedule is make-or-break as they try to make the playoffs and UMBC appeared to be one of UK’s tougher opponents.

UK was also looking for payback after a loss to UMBC at regionals prevented the Cool Cats from making the national tournament last season.

UMBC took an early 1-0 lead over UK but freshman defenseman Matt Kinman, who is new to the team this semester, scored the equalizer. The two teams went into the first intermission tied 1-1.

It became evident that something was amiss when the Zamboni did not clear the ice during the first intermission. An announcement was eventually made that both Zambonis at Lexington Ice Center were not working.

Without a Zamboni to clear the ice, rink conditions became very complicated. The officials improvised during the second intermission and actually used snow shovels to clear the ice along the boards.

Serres described the ice conditions as “brutal,” but added, “I think we’re more used to it.”

In the second period junior forwards Billy Glass and Josh Knicker both scored goals extending UK’s lead to 3-1 at the end of the second period.

The Cool Cats added three more goals in the third period.

UMBC was clearly upset and lost their composure by the third period, having two players sent off the ice for game misconduct.

After giving up the one goal less than two minutes into the game, senior goalie Derek Steinbrecker shut out UMBC for the remainder of the night and secured a 6-1 victory.

When the final horn sounded, UK’s player’s celebrated by rushing the ice and piling on Steinbrecker, who played great in net both Friday and Saturday.

Junior forward Michael Getz said the Cats showed a lot of “new skill and swagger.”

The 6-1 victory proved what the UK team already knew going into their matchup with UMBC.

“It was all about our mindset,” Steinbrecker said. “We came in with the attitude we were the better team.”

Getz said UK had been building up the UMBC game since the end of last season.

“It was everything you would imagine it could be,” Getz said.