Tennessee puts Eastern on ice

The Tennessee Vols skated back to Knoxville after an 8-4 victory against Eastern Saturday night in Lexington. The game wasn't, as one-sided as their previous encounter this season, and the Colonels made the Vols earn every goal.

From the initial faceoff, it was clear the Vols weren't facing the Colonels of past.

"This is not the same team we played in the beginning of the season," said Tennessee Head Coach Steve Durrigan after the first period. The Ice Vols (13-7) were expecting a close game.

"Especially after what happened to Radford," Durrigan said, referring to Eastern's total domination of that team two weeks prior.

The Colonels were unable to slow down Tennessee's forward line.

Forward Aaron "Dudeman" Richnavsky said Tennessee's advantages were simple: more bodies on the roster, and a goalie who could be responsible for a few sasquatch sightings.

Standing 6'7" in skates with a shaggy mane, Kelsey McLean made save after save as the Colonels blasted pucks from all angles.

"He grabbed pucks out of the air like King Kong swatting planes," said freshman Cody Neal.

It was the second period that stood out for Eastern.

The Colonels returned to the ice scoreless at 0-2, ending 2-4 after a pair of goals by each team.

The period also featured the game's only fight. After making a save, Eastern goalie Ryan McNutt found an overzealous Vol hacking away at his glove long after the whistle.

Chris Case and Ben Pingilley wasted no time indicating that such behavior was unacceptable. Both players grappled with the Tennessee player, with Case getting a strangle hold around his neck. The crowd was furious, and fans expressed their outrage from the stands.

Case and Pingilley received two minutes each in the box, for roughing and crosschecking.

The third period began with an immediate goal by Mike Roache, bringing the Colonels within one point of tying the score. The Vols came back and answered with four goals of their own.

Roache scored a final goal with less than three minutes on the clock. The Colonels were building momentum, but it just wasn't enough for the time left in the game.

"Too little too late," Richnavsky said after the game. "We should have come out faster at the beginning."

The Colonels logged significant time in the penalty box throughout the game, but on all four power plays the Vols failed to exploit the advantage. Eastern's penalty killers, particularly after the second period fight, did well. With a five to three-man disadvantage, Richnavsky turned the tables on Tennessee and dropped one in past McLean.

"They're supposed to be so good, yet they give up a goal on a five-on-three?" Hendrickson said. "That was just sweet."

The atmosphere in the stands was typically boisterous, with hoarse voices and a few hangovers guaranteed for the next morning. Colonel fans greeted the visitors from Tennessee with standard Bluegrass hospitality. "Smash his face in. Rip his head off," shouted Hendrickson. The Colonels seemed to heed the advice. Eastern out-checked Tennessee 3-1 throughout the game and seemed determined to wallpaper the rink in orange and white. Vols' right wing Rob Goldsmith received a generous helping of humiliation, being slammed against the boards or falling down on his own (to the delight of Eastern fans) at least 12 times.

Friday, the Colonels face Louisville (0-14) in the final game of the season. Discount tickets will be sold in advance outside Powell corner Thursday and Friday for only $3. Attendance is expected to be high, as it will be both senior night and fan appreciation night, with free t-shirts and other goodies. The Cards went down in flames all three times they faced Eastern this season, so expect more of the same. "We're gonna give 'em a show," Richnavsky said.