by Travis Weber
Daily Lobo
Texas Tech couldn't completely spoil the first home games of the season for the UNM Ice Wolves.
The two teams split games, with Texas Tech winning the first one 12-11 on Friday night and UNM taking the second 6-3 on Saturday night.
The two games, which took place at Blades Multiplex Arenas in Rio Rancho, displayed two different styles of play.
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Ice Wolves head coach Joel Cormier said his team had trouble thwarting the Texas Tech attack.
"On Friday, we just seemed to get ahead of ourselves in the defensive zone," he said. "We were anticipating too much, and they took advantage with lots of odd-man rushes."
Things started off at a lightning-fast pace on Friday, and halfway through the game the score was 5-5.
Things only got crazier from there, as Texas Tech scored three goals in as many minutes late in the third period to put them up 12-9.
With just under a minute left, the Ice Wolves scored to draw close, but not close enough as fans watched them pepper the Texas Tech goalie with a barrage of shots to end the game and finally sneak one past him at the buzzer for the 12-11 loss.
Cormier said the Ice Wolves' changes in the second game helped them control Texas Tech's offense.
"We made a lot of adjustments especially on defense, and the team executed them very well," Cormier said.
The game was much more physical, and that seemed to wear down the speedy Red Raiders. The physicality, coupled with the timely scoring of the Ice Wolves, helped to put the game away. Edgar Solis and Ian McMaster accounted for most of the team's offense, scoring three of the team's goals and assisting on the other three.
The game-winning goal came on a power play midway through the second period. With the Wolves hanging on to a scant 3-2 lead, Solis slung a pass right across the Texas Tech goalmouth to a wide-open Matt Stockham who one-timed the puck over the goalie's left shoulder into the roof of the net.
"The power-play goal by Matt was beautiful," Cormier said. "It really got us motivated and set them back."
The Ice Wolves hunkered down for the rest of the game and picked up the hitting to pull away with the victory.
The split brings the Ice Wolves' overall record to 6-4 on the season, but Cormier said it is a strong start to the team's six-game home stand.
"We still have four more tough games at home, but if we can keep up the crowd support, it ought to be great," Cormier said. "Texas Tech is a good team and we played them well. I am really excited about the direction this team is headed in."
