On the heels of breaking into the national rankings, IUP won a pair of league games over the weekend in Ohio to remain unbeaten in its first season competing in ACHA Division I.
IUP (4-0, 3-0 CHMA) earned the final spot in the Division I top 20 national rankings prior to defeating College Hockey Mid-America members John Carroll University, 4-2, Friday and Youngstown State, 6-5, in overtime Saturday.
During the first ranking period - counting games up to Oct. 6 - IUP beat No. 19 West Virginia and No. 9 Duquesne. Duquesne fell to No. 14, and West Virginia moved up to No. 15 after splitting at No. 4 Ohio University and handing Duquesne a loss.
"The fact that we are ranked in the first official rankings shows that we are good, that people do recognize us," first-year Head Coach Dan Hestin said. "But I don't care where we are ranked now."
The final ranking, set for Feb. 16, determines the top 16 teams that will advance to the national tournament. Although nationals are more than four months away, Hestin said IUP must stay focused each weekend because it could drop out of the rankings with relative ease.
"This is a whole new network of voters to appease," Hestin said, adding the Division I voters are not as familiar with IUP as the Division II electorate.
"I was not very happy with the way we played this past weekend. Some guys need to pay more attention to detail, and we've got to treat every weekend as though if we lose a game, we're not going to nationals."
In IUP's victory against John Carroll, junior Brian Willet scored two goals and freshman Steve Sarachine netted his first career IUP goal. Sophomore Devin McKusker scored a power-play goal to lift IUP over Youngstown State in overtime. Junior forward Chris Ferrogine, a native of Ewing, N.J., leads IUP in points with three goals and six assists after posting a five-point weekend.
Sophomore Adam McCrorie and freshman Brian Matesevac earned their first career IUP wins during the road trip. McCrorie, a Philadelphia native, stopped 32 of 34 shots against John Carroll. Matesevac, who hails from Elizabethtown, stopped 40 of 45 shots to preserve the triumph versus Youngstown State.
First-string goalie David Himes, a sophomore, hit the ice in IUP's first two wins, but did not play during the road trip.
"We're just letting other guys get some game action," Hestin said. "My plan is to have all three goalies active and ready when their number is called."
IUP, still adapting to the newly instituted NHL rules, has killed 36 of 44 (81.8 percent) power plays and has scored on 16 of 47 (34 percent) power-play advantages. The team has yet to participate in a shootout, which would serve as the tiebreaker after one extra period of play.
IUP will face Slippery Rock in a CHMA game tonight at 7:30 at the Indiana Ice and Expo Center. It will be IUP's first home game at the ice center, which had been receiving various mechanical repairs the past several months.
Game information
What: IUP vs. Slippery Rock
Where: Indiana Ice and Expo Center
When: 7:30 tonight
Tickets: $5 adult, $2 for I-card holder
ACHA Division I rankings
1. Rhode Island
2. Penn State
3. Illinois
4. Ohio
5. Iowa State
6. Lindenwood (Mo.)
7. Arizona State
8. Michigan-Dearborn
9. Oklahoma
10. Arizona
11. Delaware
12. Oakland (Mich.)
13. Weber State (Utah)
14. Duquesne
15. West Virginia
16. Eastern Michigan
17. Robert Morris (Ill.)
18. Liberty (Va.)
19. West Chester
20. IUP
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