Tennessee puts Eastern on ice
Walter Lesczynski
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Sports
The Tennessee Vols skated back to Knoxville after an 8-4 victory against Eastern Saturday night in Lexington.
The game wasn't, as one-sided as their previous encounter this season, and the Colonels made the Vols earn every goal.
From the initial faceoff, it was clear the Vols weren't facing the Colonels of past.
"This is not the same team we played in the beginning of the season," said Tennessee Head Coach Steve Durrigan after the first period. The Ice Vols (13-7) were expecting a close game.
"Especially after what happened to Radford," Durrigan said, referring to Eastern's total domination of that team two weeks prior.
The Colonels were unable to slow down Tennessee's forward line.
Forward Aaron "Dudeman" Richnavsky said Tennessee's advantages were simple: more bodies on the roster, and a goalie who could be responsible for a few sasquatch sightings.
Standing 6'7" in skates with a shaggy mane, Kelsey McLean made save after save as the Colonels blasted pucks from all angles.
"He grabbed pucks out of the air like King Kong swatting planes," said freshman Cody Neal.
It was the second period that stood out for Eastern.
The Colonels returned to the ice scoreless at 0-2, ending 2-4 after a pair of goals by each team.
The period also featured the game's only fight. After making a save, Eastern goalie Ryan McNutt found an overzealous Vol hacking away at his glove long after the whistle.
Chris Case and Ben Pingilley wasted no time indicating that such behavior was unacceptable. Both players grappled with the Tennessee player, with Case getting a strangle hold around his neck. The crowd was furious, and fans expressed their outrage from the stands.
Case and Pingilley received two minutes each in the box, for roughing and crosschecking.
The third period began with an immediate goal by Mike Roache, bringing the Colonels within one point of tying the score. The Vols came back and answered with four goals of their own.
The game wasn't, as one-sided as their previous encounter this season, and the Colonels made the Vols earn every goal.
From the initial faceoff, it was clear the Vols weren't facing the Colonels of past.
"This is not the same team we played in the beginning of the season," said Tennessee Head Coach Steve Durrigan after the first period. The Ice Vols (13-7) were expecting a close game.
"Especially after what happened to Radford," Durrigan said, referring to Eastern's total domination of that team two weeks prior.
The Colonels were unable to slow down Tennessee's forward line.
Forward Aaron "Dudeman" Richnavsky said Tennessee's advantages were simple: more bodies on the roster, and a goalie who could be responsible for a few sasquatch sightings.
Standing 6'7" in skates with a shaggy mane, Kelsey McLean made save after save as the Colonels blasted pucks from all angles.
"He grabbed pucks out of the air like King Kong swatting planes," said freshman Cody Neal.
It was the second period that stood out for Eastern.
The Colonels returned to the ice scoreless at 0-2, ending 2-4 after a pair of goals by each team.
The period also featured the game's only fight. After making a save, Eastern goalie Ryan McNutt found an overzealous Vol hacking away at his glove long after the whistle.
Chris Case and Ben Pingilley wasted no time indicating that such behavior was unacceptable. Both players grappled with the Tennessee player, with Case getting a strangle hold around his neck. The crowd was furious, and fans expressed their outrage from the stands.
Case and Pingilley received two minutes each in the box, for roughing and crosschecking.
The third period began with an immediate goal by Mike Roache, bringing the Colonels within one point of tying the score. The Vols came back and answered with four goals of their own.