Arizona hockey upsets third top ten team in a row

By JAMES KELLEY Published November 16, 2012 at 2:06am Updated November 16, 2012 at 2:06am

Despite leaving Tucson at 3 a.m. on the day of the game, No. 16 Arizona (8-7-0) hockey upset No. 6 Oklahoma (10-5-1) on Thursday night by a score of 3-1, extending its winning streak against top ten teams to three.

“It was a hard win for us,” head coach Sean Hogan said. “We’re turning a corner here, you can see there’s confidence. Success breeds success, so winning’s contagious.”

Oklahoma scored first, about five minutes into the game on a power play.

Hogan didn’t like how Arizona played in the first, but Arizona was just down 1-0.

“We didn’t play great to be honest with you,” Hogan said. “We were up at 3 a.m.”

Hogan said junior goalie Steve Sisler kept the Wildcats in the game until they started scoring.

“Sisler was the best player on the ice,” Hogan said.

Ten minutes into the second, Arizona tied it on a goal by freshman Brennen Parker from junior forward Andrew Murmes and senior defenseman Zack Waxenberg.

Two minutes later, UA took the lead off a senior forward Brian Slugocki goal assisted by freshman defenseman Bryan Drazner and junior forward Ansel Ivens-Anderson.

“Then in the second and third periods Murmes, Ansel and Slugocki, that line really started humming and then everybody started playing really well after that,” Hogan said. “Everybody contributed to the win.”

With 2:27 left in the game, the Wildcats iced it with a goal by Ivens-Anderson, with assists by Murmes and freshman defenseman Kyle Ambrosie.

UA only has one loss to teams outside the top three, to No. 25 Eastern Michigan.

Arizona, which beat Oklahoma 4-1 last November on the road, has won two in a row against the Sooners.

Hogan thinks this is the first time the UA has won three in a row against top 10 teams.

“We’re pretty excited about it, but again, we need to come in Friday and win and Saturday and win,” Hogan said.