Kentucky club hockey (10-4-2) split its latest weekend series against the Cincinnati Bearcats (9-7-2) winning game one 5-3 and losing game two 3-2.
Things started off slow in the first game of the home-and-home series with only one goal being scored in the first period by Kentucky winger Macklin Yelle.
The second period is where the ice began to heat up.
Kentucky went up 2-0 before the Bearcats answered back with a goal of their own to close the distance, but defenseman Cole Bartnick scored his first career goal as a Wildcat to widen the gap once more.
The game seemed entirely in Kentucky’s control as it took a 4-1 lead in the final period of play, but the Bearcats wouldn’t go quietly.
Momentum swung back as Cincinnati rattled off two unanswered goals, causing the home Lexington Ice Center crowd to grow anxious.
With time being their enemy, the Bearcats had to pull their goalie in an act of desperation to force overtime, but as the clock dwindled, Kentucky forced a turnover and winger Nick Delaney scored his second goal of the game to put the game out of reach.
Winning the first game 5-3 and with momentum on their side, the Wildcats hit the road for the second game of the series.
That momentum from game one didn’t seem to translate, however, as not a single goal was scored in the first period by either team.
Points were hard to come by for most of the night, but Delaney put Kentucky on the board first in the second period with his 11th goal of the season.
It was looking promising for the Wildcats as Collin Costello extended the lead to 2-0 with only 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
Things took a turn as the next seven minutes belonged to Cincinnati as the home team scored three unanswered goals and proceeded to shut out the Wildcats for the remaining six minutes of play making the final score 3-2.
Kentucky’s three game winning streak that had started the night before came to an end in Cincinnati.
The Wildcats will look to bounce as they are heading on the road for their next two games against Lindenwood at the Centene Community Ice Center. The first game of the series will be on Saturday, Nov. 23, with a puck drop set for 9 p.m. ET.
