TUSCON, Ariz. - The ACHA Division I team finished up their road trip out to Arizona by splitting a pair of games with the #24 University of Arizona Ice Cats.
A strong first and second period that saw the Bulldogs score 7 unanswered goals proved to be the only offense needed as Adrian shut out the Ice Cats 7-0 on January 7 in Tucson. The Ice Cats were able to hold down the Bulldog offense for the first half of the first period but then the flood gates opened up. Kevin Sunde got the scoring started on the power play with seven minutes remaining in the first. Chris Dixon and Max Gavin also scored in the final seven minutes of the period to push the Bulldog lead to 3-0 after the first 20 minutes of play.
The second period was key for the Bulldogs that night as a four goal second finished off Arizona and crushed any thoughts of an Ice Cat comeback. Jared Semple scored five minutes in to the period to push the lead to 4-0. Sunde's second goal of the night as well as goals from Logan Blackwell and Chad Bonmon less than 30 seconds apart finished off the scoring for the night. The Bulldogs went into the second intermission riding high with a 7-0 lead. Neither team could find the back of the net in the third period as both teams offenses were shut down.
In net for the Bulldogs Matt Anderson led the way playing forty minutes stopping all 15 shots he faced. Louis Ronayne took over in third stopping everything that came his way. The Bulldogs were paced offensively by Jared Semple with a goal and two assists and Tom Ciaverilla with three assists.
Saturday night the Bulldogs were unable to contain the Ice Cats as Arizona scratched out a 5-4 victory. The Bulldogs got a big first period from Ryan Bachman whose even strength and shorthanded goals were sandwiched between two Arizona goals. The Bulldogs left the first 20 minutes of play with the score tied at 2-2.
Arizona was able to put in a goal just about halfway through the second to go up 3-2. Adrian Captain Jared Semple made sure that the Bulldogs did not trail going into the final frame by scoring with 5:30 left in the period. In the third period both teams scored less than 2 minutes apart early on to push the score to 4-4. Tom Ciaverilla's goal for Adrian proved to be the only offense the Bulldogs would muster in the third period. The Ice Cats on the other hand had one goal left in them and they with about four minutes remaining to finish off the scoring and a 5-4 win.
Matt Anderson played the entire game in net for Adrian stopping 22 of 27 shots put his way.
The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, January 15 at 7:00 p.m. as Rochester Institute of Technology comes to Arrington Ice Arena for a pair of games.
