From The Alestle
By Sam Muren
The Cougars returned to action last weekend with a home series against the top team in the Mid American Collegiate Hockey Association: the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.
SIUE had not played since Dec. 6, against the University of Illinois, due to a canceled series scheduled for Jan. 9-10 against Oklahoma State University.
Arkansas dominated SIUE in both Friday and Saturday’s games. SIUE has hung around the bottom of the standings, going into this series 3-15. Arkansas has been the standings counterpart. The Razorbacks were 16-6-1 before the clash with the Cougars.
Friday night’s game ended in a 4-1 defeat for the Cougars in a game meant for celebrating. SIUE honored former head coach Mike Edwards with a ceremonial puck drop and were meant to celebrate the Annual Teddy Bear Toss.
The Teddy Bear Toss is a tradition in hockey where fans throw a teddy bear on the ice after the home team’s first goal. Typically, the bears are collected and then donated to children with severe illness.
The supposed bear-throwing goal from junior forward Brock Barrows came a period too late though, as fans just threw their bears at the end of the second period. SIUE’s lone goal came in the third as the team attempted to overcome the four-goal deficit.
Saturday’s game featured the full force of the top-MACHA team’s abilities with a crushing 13-0 loss for SIUE, despite the return of several players.
Graduated player Connor Hinterser returned to the lineup playing at a defense position. The Cougars also added sophomore Ryne Loehr, who also played defense for SIUE. Both players were injected into the lineup Friday night.
SIUE also regained junior defensemen Frank Rynes on Saturday.
Arkansas, which had arrived in the St. Louis region after winning the inaugural SEC Frozen Showcase in Tennessee and defeating Texas A&M University 5-3, showed no mercy.
The Razorbacks put up 74 shots on both SIUE goalies. Freshman goalie Dalton Fitzgerald faced 56 of the shots, allowing 12 goals before being called in relief during the third period.
Arkansas dominated in every field. They scored several powerplay goals and even scored shorthand on a 5-on-3. Two Razorbacks earned hat tricks and multiple players had multi-point nights.
SIUE continues to solidify their last-place rank, and the losing skid falls to 12 games. The Cougars are now 3-17, mathematically eliminating them from any postseason hopes.
SIUE will face the University of Nebraska both Friday and Saturday this weekend at Nebraska. Their next home, and final game of the season, will be at 7:15 p.m., Feb. 13 at East Alton Ice Arena and live to stream on Prepcasts.
(Originally published at https://www.alestlelive.com/sports/article_b676c095-7e2b-4e9c-b43b-8eb03049cc22.html)
