Club hockey splits weekend games

By By Mark Vierthaler

Monday, September 19, 2005

Sophomore goalie Adam Paulitsch intercepts a shot by a Missouri player during Saturday night’s second game. Despite repeated saves, Kansas lost 3-4 Saturday, making their current game record 1-1.

Sophomore goalie Adam Paulitsch intercepts a shot by a Missouri player during Saturday night’s second game. Despite repeated saves, Kansas lost 3-4 Saturday, making their current game record 1-1.

It was a bittersweet opening to the season for the Kansas club hockey team, as it racked up one victory and one loss this weekend.

The Jayhawks faced off against the Missouri State Bears at the Jayhawks’ new home, Ice Midwest, in Overland Park.

The Jayhawks won 7-4 Friday night. Junior forward David Knight and freshman forward Erik Bredesen established an early lead for Kansas, scoring a combined five points in the first two periods. The Bears attempted a last-minute comeback, doubling their score in the last three minutes of the game, but failed to catch up to the Jayhawks.

Kansas failed to repeat the magic on Saturday, losing 3-4. The Bears scored their first three goals in the first period, leaving the Jayhawks trailing for the rest of the game.

Coach Marty McSorley said a lack of intensity, coupled with Kansas’ visits to the penalty box in the second period, led to their loss.

“No one was hustling,” he said. “The penalties killed us in the second period. Because we had so many people in the box, our best guys were getting run down and couldn’t play with their full energy.”

Missouri scored the first goal of the game on Friday, but Kansas quickly turned the game around with Knight scoring the first and second goals for the Jayhawks.

Bredesen gave the team a three-point lead, scoring the first two goals of the second period. Sophomore forward/defenseman Matt Zellmer scored Kansas’ fifth goal.

The Bears returned with a volley of shots, slipping one in for their second score of the night. Kansas returned with another shot by Zellmer, finishing up the second period 6-2.

Shots were exchanged up and down the rink for the majority of the third period without much success until the end of the period. Junior forward Ryne Tusten scored for the Jayhawks in the last five minutes.

The Bears came back in the last three minutes, doubling their points for the game, but Kansas held onto its lead and the game ended 7-4.

“We really just hustled a lot and put in a lot of hard work,” Kansas McSorley said. “Those guys ran the systems really well.”

Saturday night brought frustrations for Kansas. Missouri State kept Kansas on the defense for the majority of the first period. Meanwhile, the Bears’ offense established a three-point lead.

The Jayhawks chalked up multiple penalties in the second period, leaving them short handed on the ice. Before the end of the period, each team scored another point.

A revitalized Kansas began an onslaught against Missouri State in the final period. Bredesen scored the first goal of the period, and Zellmer snuck in a shot to bring them up to 3-4.

Immediately after his goal, Missouri State forward Anthony Trupiano laid out Zellmer with a body check against the glass. The fans rushed to the glass while Kansas’ coaching staff called a time-out to check on their player.

Zellmer eventually got up and skated back to the bench to applause from the stands. Trupiano was given a five minute penalty, taking him out for the remainder of the game.

Despite the loss, McSorley said the entire game wasn’t a disappointment. The last minute comeback in the third period showed him that the Jayhawks still had the drive to win.

“They never stopped,” he said, “Even when they were behind.”

Hoping to rack up more victories, Kansas will face off against Missouri at home Friday. The team will travel to Missouri on Saturday for its second game against the Tigers.

McSorley said the main thing the team needs to work on before the season gets into full swing is consistency.

“We have a lot of new guys this year,” he said. “It’s basically a brand new team. They just need to know where they’re supposed to be. Every coach’s style is different, so we all have to get used to each other.”

— Edited by Katie Lohrenz

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