Team takes winning streak to 17 games

It had all the makings of a Hoosier football game when senior quarterback Antwaan Randle El dropped the ceremonial opening faceoff at Friday night's hockey game between IU and the University of Kentucky. \nBut the similarities were supposed to end there. Watching either of the Hoosiers' two-game home and home sweep of the Cool Cats, it might have seemed a cold, icy day on the gridiron.\n"Kentucky played smart," head coach Rich Holdeman said. "Their strategy was to slow the game down; clutch, grab and slash to make the game as ugly as it can get. The other thing they needed to do was get great goaltending, and they did. In terms of an attractive hockey game, it wasn't. But we got the wins and that's what counts."\nWith a 3-0 lead, the Hoosiers came out for the third period looking undisciplined, which led to a quick Kentucky goal just two minutes in. While killing a penalty, senior Brandon Phillips skated the puck all the way back into his own end and the Hoosiers commenced to dangerously pass the puck around in their own end. Kentucky defenseman Jared Christopher picked off one of those passes and threw a shot on net that was tipped in by Peter Notkin. \nThe Hoosiers answered back when senior defenseman Tim McMahon scored a power play goal just two minutes later, roofing a slap shot off the feed from senior Bryan Grant. \nBut Kentucky fought back again with another goal that was tipped just in front of goaltender Charlie Pulley to end the scoring 4-2. \nSaturday night, the Hoosiers traveled to Kentucky for a midnight game in front of 1,000-plus at the Lexington Ice Center. This time, the Hoosiers were without Grant, who was out with a shoulder injury, and their leading goal scorer senior Gordy Haggard, who suffered back problems. Freshman Matt Ritz and junior Trent Washburn performed admirably as IU went on to beat the Cool Cats 7-3, extending IU's winning streak over Kentucky to 17 games.\nIt was another two period effort by the Hoosiers, who were down 3-2 going into the third period before scoring five unanswered goals.\n"I honestly think the spark came when we put (senior) Chad (Whitlock) in (goal), although nobody really expected it at the time," Kyrias said. "We put Chad in and then four minutes later, (senior) Ed Karasek scored our first shorthanded goal of the year. That sparked the turnaround"