LAS VEGAS — Central Oklahoma has already erased three two-goal deficits this season. No. 2 UNLV gets the Bronchos Friday and Saturday at Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond, Oklahoma, with both games beginning at 5 p.m. Pacific.
Iowa State led the Bronchos 4-2 in the third period last month before UCO scored twice and won in a shootout. Waldorf led 3-1 the next night before Central Oklahoma scored three straight goals in a 4-3 win. A day later, Waldorf went up 2-0 and UCO again scored twice before losing in overtime.
The Skatin’ Rebels arrive 6-0 after two very different wins at Grand Canyon. UNLV scored five times in the third period of an 8-3 win Friday, then needed Luke Backel’s second-period goal and a strong finish from Liam Choquette to hold on 2-1 Saturday.
Saturday at Grand Canyon showed what protecting one can require. The Rebels did not score in the third period. Mason Kelly blocked shots on the penalty kill, Asher Wites got in front of an attempt from the slot and Choquette handled the chances that reached him. UNLV cannot expect an early lead to finish the game for it.
Dylan Gordon helped create both UNLV goals before that. He knocked Grand Canyon off the puck near the blue line, joined the attack and finished Easton Edwards’ pass from the slot to tie the game. Gordon later assisted Backel’s winner after UNLV moved quickly from a Choquette stop into a breakaway at the other end.
The Bronchos have also made their comebacks harder with penalties. They lost 6-4 and 4-2 at Kentucky last weekend. In Saturday’s game, UCO tied it at 1-1 before Kentucky scored three times in the second period, twice on the power play. Josh Henson stopped 38 of 42 shots.
The official game report shows how quickly those penalties became goals. Dreyton Hayward went off for slashing at 4:42 of the second period, and Cooper Kurinsky scored 40 seconds later. Robby Rabroker took another slashing penalty at 10:30, and Kurinsky scored again 57 seconds into that advantage.
An overtime penalty also cost UCO against Waldorf. After the Bronchos erased a 2-0 deficit, a hooking minor gave the Warriors a power play. Matus Jonas worked through the defense and passed to Brandon Piwko for the winner 28 seconds into the advantage, according to Midwest College Hockey’s recap.
The Rebels scored three power-play goals Friday. Shaun Rios completed his hat trick after UNLV moved the puck through Edwards down low and Deven Nagra at the point. Ryan Kerr stopped Nagra’s shot, but the Rebels recovered the puck and sent it across the goalmouth to Rios before Kerr could get back across. Edwards later scored from down low, and Bryce Johnson added another power-play goal.
A night later, four straight minutes with an extra skater produced no goal. Hunter Hein stopped chances from Rios and Edwards, and UNLV eventually found the winner at even strength. Central Oklahoma has given opponents opportunities with an extra skater. UNLV still has to finish them.
The San Diego State series offered another example. The Rebels took 61 shots in a 3-2 win and 66 the next night in a 12-1 victory. The difference was not the number of shots. In the second game, UNLV got the puck into the slot, moved it across the goalmouth and reached rebounds before San Diego State could clear.
Gordon’s goal against Grand Canyon showed how much offense UNLV can get from its defensemen when the play is there. He won the puck first, then kept moving into the attack. The risk comes when a defenseman moves forward and UNLV loses possession. If a forward is not covering behind him, Central Oklahoma can attack before the Rebels get organized.
UCO’s comebacks against Iowa State and Waldorf do not establish how it will attack UNLV. They do show why the Rebels cannot let a two-goal lead change how they defend. Saturday at Grand Canyon required blocked shots, clears and Choquette’s saves through the final period. UNLV may need the same patience in Edmond.
See something that needs correcting? Report a correction.