UCO BRONCHO HOCKEY LOSE 3 IN MICHIGAN

By Rocky Wiles

In this crazy 2007-08 season, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos started out on fire, but during this midseason string of games, cannot find the consistency they once possessed. 

“It seems that we cannot get our offense, defense and goaltending together all at the same time”, said head coach, Craig McAlister.  “When our goaltending is hot, our offense is struggling or when our goaltending is struggling our offense has to outscore the opposition.”  Such was the case in Dearborn, Michigan over the University of Michigan Dearborn Holiday Classic, as the Bronchos dropped all three games.  Friday night they lost to unranked UMD by the score of 5-3.  Saturday night in perhaps the classics most exciting matchup, Eastern Michigan University won a tough contest 3-2.  In an early morning Sunday matchup, Adrian College topped the Bronchos, 6-1.

In the Friday night contest, the Bronchos outshot the Wolves 47 to 34, including outshooting the Wolves 17-5 in third.  But the UMD Wolves still managed 2 goals to ice the game for UMD.

Saturday nights contest started out well for UCO as Eric Jansen scored on a powerplay goal to put the Bronchos up 1-0, but Eastern Michigan’s Schweigert tied the game up with a deflection at the 3:14 mark in the first.  The score held up until Jason Thibodeau scored on the powerplay midway thru the second period.  EMU;s Schweigert scored again 4 minutes later to tie up the game with a breakaway goal and assisted on the final goal of the game with just over a minute in the second period to put EMU up 3-2.  UCO came out hard in the third and scored an apparent goal goal by AJ Alfrey, however the official waved it off as he did not have a clear view of the net.  The Bronchos pulled their goalie with alittle more than a minute left in the game and had several chances to capitalize and put the game into overtime but just couldn’t get the break they were looking for.

Sunday’s 8am game saw the Bronchos score on a the powerplay with just 2 minutes into the contest.  Adrian College scored with just under a minute of play to tie the game 1 each.  The Bulldogs would score two additional goals in the second to take a 3-1 advantage into the second intermission.  In the third period, it was apparent the Bronchos game against Eastern Michigan took its toll as they failed to put any consistent pressure on Adrian, eventually losing 6-1.  “I think the difference in the game was the official gave us 5 straight penalties in the second period with some overlapping creating 5-3 situations.  It was more of the same in the third as we received 5 out of 6 penalties”, McAlister said.   “We were tired and frustrated by the end of the game and made some mistakes that we usually don’t do, which lead to the eventual final score.” 

With the University of Oklahoma series looming less than two weeks away, the road weary Bronchos are taking a much needed weekend off before tackling the Sooners on December 7 and 8th.