Club hockey goalie Brent Pitts lunges for a save during the first period of a game against Missouri State last semester at Pepsi Ice Midwest. At Friday evening's game against Missouri, played in the same stadium, the Jayhawks fell to the Tigers, 5-4.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Passions ran wild on the ice as Jayhawk hockey players were sent to the penalty box — the so-called “sin bin” — one after another in Friday’s game against Missouri. The tensions escalated into a brawl behind the net midway through.
For 14 minutes of the first-period at the Pepsi Ice Midwest Center in Overland Park, the Jayhawks played shorthanded while a player, or occasionally two, waited in the penalty box. The Jayhawks never recovered from the difficult beginning: tired out by constantly being on the penalty kill, they fell to rival Missouri 5-4.
“Penalty killing is the most tiring part of the game because you are always moving and never have a chance to get on the attack and score,” forward Price Duncan said.
During the first-period onslaught, the Jayhawks surrendered 18 shots but goaltender Lukas Renard gave up only one goal in the period.
“Every game this year we have had penalties, so I knew that if I could just keep us in there, we would have a shot,” Renard said.
The Jayhawks evened the score early in the second period as defender Grant Worden stepped out of the penalty box and quickly repented by catching a long pass and beating Tiger goaltender Aaron Dewitt low glove side.
Later in the period, as the Jayhawks led 2-1, the rivalry exploded into a brawl behind the net.
Forward Ryan Dunn was one of the key players involved in the scrum.
“One of their bigger guys came over and checked one of our guys and in hockey you have to defend your teammates, and we went over to back him up and I checked the guy,” Dunn said. “Then everyone started pushing and things got out of hand.”
The Tigers took a two-goal lead at 10:15 in the third period after back-to-back goals. Dan Kootman scored the second goal high gloveside when he deked around the defender at the blue line and then beat Renard.
The Jayhawks never gave up and a few minutes later Dunn got a rebound out in the slot and did a quick turnaround before putting the puck into the back of the net.
“It was a nice shot down low from Kevin Kiske,” Dunn said. “I just turned around quickly to catch the goalie by surprise and put it in.”
The Jayhawks were able to compete and even outplay the Tigers at 5 on 5 but then ran out of steam, tired out from a rough beginning and often playing down a man.
“We have to stay out of the box,” assistant coach Tim Veach said. “Even strength, we were just as good if not better. But, as a coach, you can’t be more proud of your team when they fight back like that. We could have folded when we went down by two in the third, but we never quit.”
The Jayhawks hope to rebound on a road trip through Illinois from Oct. 15 to Oct. 18.
— Edited by Brenna M. T. Daldorph
KU hockey drops opener to Missouri
The KU Hockey Club fell 5-3 in Missouri.
Hockey team sticks to fourth Nebraska defeat
The KU hockey team finished 9-1 and 4-1 to seal a season ...
Kansas hockey team loses to Missouri
The Jayhawk hockey team played strong, but couldn't hold against the Tigers.
KU club team struggles against archrival
Club hockey group loses games and goalies to Missouri during the weekend ...
Kansas hockey drops second straight game
The KU Hockey Club failed to open up with intensity and went ...
Club hockey splits weekend games
Kansas club hockey splits the weekend
The Jayhawks lose Friday but win Saturday against the Southern Illinois Salukis.
Lack of defense hurts KU Hockey in ...
The KU Hockey club dropped their third straight game after giving up ...
Kansas hockey falls to Missouri at Sprint ...
After a thrilling 3-2 shootout win by the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins over ...
Hockey border showdown
KU's hockey team was defeated by Missouri.
Geochronic wins two championships
On Sunday, intramural floor hockey teams faced off in the season’s final ...
KU Hockey to play first home game ...
Pepsi Ice Midwest in Overland Park will heat up Tonight and Saturday ...
Club hockey falls to 0-6 on season
Kansas tallied the first goal just 3:22 into the game, but couldn't ...
KU club hockey team struggles through final ...
The KU club hockey team played its last two home games this ...
Kansas loses more than games against Missouri
The Kansas hockey team lost both of its games against Missouri this ...
Stolen shot glasses
Schooners, shot glasses, and keg shells are a few of the items ...
Kansas sweeps Oklahoma State
Soccer suffers setback in NCAA Tournament hopes
Following a devastating 6-0 loss to No. 20 Missouri, Kansas will now ...
Soccer falls to Mizzou in overtime
The team’s season could be over after the Big 12 Quarterfinal loss.
Kansas falters again
Kansas falls to 1-3 in conference play after a 3-1 loss to ...
More experienced hockey club returns
The Jayhawks are hopeful that the 2010 season will be more successful.
Morning brew: could Palin's puck drop swing ...
Soccer plays for Big 12 Tournament berth
Jayhawks will play Texas Tech in unprecedented play-in game to decide final ...
Men’s club soccer competes in National Club ...
The KU men’s club soccer competed in the National Club Soccer Championship. ...
Men’s club soccer competes in National Club ...
The KU men’s club soccer competed in the National Club Soccer Championship. ...
Men’s club soccer competes in National Club ...
The KU men’s club soccer competed in the National Club Soccer Championship. ...
Hockey club gets ready to open season
New coach, and home rink highlight changes for the Jayhawks
Lacrosse team achieves quality victories
With blowout victories against St. Cloud State and Arkansas, the lacrosse team ...
Kansas goal in 115th minute trumps Texas ...
Sophomore forward Caroline Kastor heads the game winning goal in double overtime.
Jayhawks defeat Paladins in season opener
After a sluggish start in the first half, three Jayhawks scored to ...
Border hockey rivalry to play out tonight
Kansas and Missouri will face off in a hockey game in Overland ...
Border hockey rivalry to play out tonight
Kansas and Missouri will face off in a hockey game in Overland ...
Soccer team loses game with penalty kicks
Despite being ahead most of the game, the Jayhawks let go in ...
Jayhawks fall after halftime lead
Buffaloes won in overtime play.
Kansas soccer starts 2009 season 5-0
KU soccer is undefeated for the third time in program history after ...
Trouble in Texas for soccer team
Jayhawks suffer two close losses to Longhorns and No. 15 Aggies.
Women's soccer loses 3-2 in overtime against ...
After winning a double-overtime play-in game to advance to the Big 12 ...
Soccer defeats Texas Tech for Big 12 ...
Kansas will face Missouri for the second time Wednesday in the tournament’s ...
Hawks lose to Tigers in shootout
The Kansas soccer team will have to wait until Monday night to ...
Kansas picks up first conference road win
The Jayhawks defeated the Red Raiders 3-1 Friday night
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
KUnited presidential candidate Libby Johnson and vice presidential ...
1 comment
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID