The University of Arkansas DII Club closed out their home schedule in dominant fashion, sweeping a two-game series against Oklahoma State University with a 5-2 win on Friday and an emphatic 9-1 victory on Saturday at the Jones Center. The sweep capped off a record breaking season for the Razorbacks, as they now shift their focus to the upcoming Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA) Tournament this weekend.

The first game on Friday, January 31, remained competitive early, with both teams tied 2-2 after the first period. Arkansas’ David Markovich opened the scoring at 1:56, assisted by Ayden Frolik, before Brenden Coon (9:43) put the Razorbacks back on top. Oklahoma State equalized with a goal from London Magana (15:44), assisted by Coulter Clevenger and Zachary Jones, before Arkansas’ Gibson Duhe (19:54) tied the match. The Razorbacks pulled away in the second and third periods when Alex Fendler (1:08) netted the game-winner, assisted by Frolik and Brayden McDonald, and Frolik and Raf Praysner himself added an insurance goals to secure the win.

Arkansas outshot Oklahoma State 49-15, with goaltender Graden Reis making 13 saves on 15 shots for the win. Jason Thomas stood tall for Oklahoma State, making 44 saves on 49 shots but was overwhelmed by Arkansas’ relentless attack. The Razorbacks committed six penalties for 12 minutes, while Oklahoma State took four infractions for eight minutes, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Michael Gakhutishvili (12:27, 1st period).

On Saturday, February 1, Arkansas left no doubt, delivering a 9-1 blowout to cap off their home schedule in dominant fashion. After Anthony Conti (4:29, 1st period) put Arkansas on the board, Oklahoma State briefly responded with a power-play goal from Brayden Pottala (13:21, assisted by Coulter Clevenger). From that point forward, Arkansas took complete control, scoring eight unanswered goals, including two goals from David Markovich, two from Alex Fendler, and a tally from Ayden Frolik. Brian Romero added two late goals (18:35, 19:45, 3rd period) to put an exclamation mark on the victory.

Arkansas dominated the shot count once again, outshooting Oklahoma State 50-17. Razorbacks’ goaltender Sam Haynes was nearly flawless, stopping 16 of 17 shots, while Oklahoma State’s William Carney faced a barrage of pucks, making 41 saves on 50 shots. The game also featured a combined 40 minutes of penalties, with Arkansas taking 24 minutes on eight infractions, while Oklahoma State recorded 16 minutes on eight infractions, including a 10-minute misconduct on Adam Markovich (end of game).

The Razorbacks now shift their focus to the MACHA Tournament, where they will face off against some of the toughest teams in the division, looking to build on their momentum and make a deep postseason run.

After the game, Arkansas head coach Keller Sims praised his team’s effort, saying, “We played with speed and confidence all weekend. Our guys executed the game plan well, stayed aggressive, and never let up. This is the kind of effort we want to bring every night.”

Forward Ayden Frolik, who recorded three goals and three assists over the series, added, “Everyone was clicking, and we kept the pressure on. We’re playing for each other, and when we’re having fun like this, we’re tough to stop.”

The Razorbacks now set their sights on the MACHA Tournament this weekend, where they look to continue their strong play and compete for a championship. They enter the tournament as the #3 seed and will face off against #6 Illinois in the opening game. The tournament will take place in Chesterfield, MO at the Maryville University Hockey Center. Fridays game time is scheduled for 5:15 PM.