Cool Cats suffer Toledo sweep
October 27, 2013
By Char Grimm
UK hockey (3-8-0) dropped a pair of games on the road at the University of Toledo (8-5-0) this weekend.
UK senior goaltender Aaron Tenfelde was disappointed in his team’s inability to maintain pressure in the losses.
“We would fight back and pull even, but then sit back and let them take control again,” Tenfelde said.
The Cats jumped out to the early lead on Friday when senior defenseman Jeremy Schmidt beat Toledo freshman goaltender Austin Gryca with 14:10 to play in the first period.
Toledo sophomore forward Brent Bain was the first Rocket to beat Tenfelde, scoring with 6:10 to play in the first.
A late first-period goal from UK senior forward Matt McLaughlin helped the Cats exit the first period ahead, 2-1.
Toledo capitalized on holes in UK’s defense to tie the score 2-2 in the second period. Rockets senior forward Garryt Kujawa’s goal was the only shot to find the back of the net in the second period.
Toledo did not let off the gas as junior forward Chris Watkins scored thirty seconds into the third period to give his team a one-goal lead. Bain added his own tally a few minutes later to give his team 4-2 advantage.
The Cats rallied, however, with junior forward Ryan Thomas and McLaughlin scoring thirty seconds apart to tie the game once more.
A mental collapse from UK late in the period allowed Toledo freshman defenseman Ben Kinney to score and put the Rockets ahead.
UK junior forward Corey Kopach said the Cats’ defeat might have been due to a lack of leadership.
“People need to step up and take leadership,” he said.
Saturday saw the Cats exit the first period down 2-0 courtesy of Toledo sophomore forward Blake Podgorski and freshman forward Evan Johnston. The Rockets also outshot the Cats 21-8 in the first period.
Tenfelde faced more than 90 Toledo shots through the two games.
Shortly into the second period, sophomore forward Zach Born gave the Rockets a 3-0 lead.
McLaughlin netted the first UK goal of the game halfway through the second.
Not long after the McLaughlin goal, Schmidt scored shorthanded for the Cats to cut the Toledo lead to one goal to end the second period.
Halfway through the second period, Kopach tied the game for the Cats. Not long after, Schmidt was whistled for interference and crosschecking to give the Rockets a four-minute powerplay. Junior forward Sven Weisser capitalized, giving his team a one-goal advantage once more
Kpach said the Cats need to loosen up to find success.
“We’re taking things too seriously, we need to remember how to have fun,” he said.
Bain scored on a breakaway for the final goal of the evening, giving the Rockets the sweep of the Cats.
“A lot of changes need to be made. It comes down to forwards coming down to help the defense out,” Tenfelde said.
The Cats are back on the road next weekend as they take on Bowling Green State University.
