The Arizona Wildcats’ club hockey is one victory away from winning its first Western Collegiate Hockey League title.
The Wildcats (26-6) can secure the crown by taking one of two games against UNLV this weekend in Las Vegas. The two-game series starts Friday night.
The teams last met in January, when they split a two-game series at Tucson Arena. Arizona won Game 1 4-3 in overtime. UNLV (17-5) responded the following night with a 4-3 win.
Since then, Arizona has gone 7-1 — with its lone loss coming to Central Oklahoma. In that time, the UA has outscored its opponent 43-9. The Rebels have won three of four since then, its lone loss coming against a Colroado State team that Arizona handled last week.
“We are learning what it takes to win championships,” UA coach Chad Berman said last week.
The sixth-ranked Wildcats have been playing some of their best hockey lately, led by linemates Bayley Marshall and Anthony Cusanelli. Cusanelli, the team's second-leading scorer, was recently selected to play for Team USA in next month’s World University Games.
The thought of wearing our nation’s jersey is almost overwhelming,” Cusanelli said. “I will do everything in my power to make Tucson and the University of Arizona proud.”
Berman and his team will want to take advantage of Cusanelli’s services before he departs to Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Cusanelli will be at Berman’s disposal for three of the remaining six games — two against UNLV and one against instate rival Arizona State in Tucson. Cusanelli will miss the final three games, all against ASU, as he represents his country.
