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Arizona Loses Heartbreaker to No.1 Minot State

By Zach Pleeter, 11/18/15, 5:15PM MST

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Two posts and a bit of bad luck in a shootout separated the Wildcats from possibly pulling off what would’ve been considered the program’s biggest upset in years.

Entering this weekend, the Wildcats knew they would face their toughest task of the season when they welcomed ACHA’s No. I Minot State.

Although the Beavers carried a 10-0 record into the Tucson Convention Center, the Wildcats were not intimidated.

With the Beavers scoring the first goal of the game, coming on a three-on-one opportunity about halfway into the first period, the Wildcats later responded with a power-play goal from Sean Ozment. Brothers Brian and John Hogan assisted on the goal.

With the Wildcats taking a last-minute power play in the second period, one of many controversial calls by the referees throughout the contest, Arizona found themselves having to kill off a penalty entering the third period. Despite killing off the penalty, Arizona goalie Austin Wilson took an unsportsmanlike minor when he argued with an official about being tripped by a Minot State player.

Wilson and his team would pay the price when a wrist shot found its way into the Arizona net just seconds into the penalty kill.

“My penalty was stupid and inexcusable on my part. A call didn’t go our way and I lost my head. That can’t happen,” said Wilson.

Fortunately, right wing Matt Read scored off a deflection from Alex O’Dea’s shot that came deep in the corner of the Wildcats offensive zone. 

Unable to break the 2-2 score in regulation and overtime, the Wildcats headed for a shootout.

With Arizona winning in a shootout exactly one week prior against Colorado State, Arizona head coach Chad Berman did not change the shootout rotation.

With both goaltenders denying the shooters in the first round, it looked as if Arizona had taken the lead when Alex O’Dea stickhandled and faked out the Minot State netminder. With the left side of the net wide open, the TCC crowd and O’Dea were in shock when they heard the puck cling off the metal. Minot State would take advantage of Arizona’s bad break, as Dylan Gejdos would score five-hole to put the Beavers in the lead.

On the last chance for the Wildcats, Matthew Armenti missed the net by inches off a wrister that once again hit the post. This would deny the upset.

The next night, Arizona would fall to the Beavers by a score of 2-1.

Despite the pair of tight losses, Arizona gave the Beavers arguably their toughest games of the season. More importantly, the Wildcats proved their legitimacy against one of the strongest teams in the league.

Berman expressed he was proud of his team’s effort this weekend and believes his players are on a positive path to making this a successful season.

“We’re starting to show life of a team that wants to be relevant in the [American Collegiate Hockey Association] and we’re getting rewarded.”