The #1-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks (20-1-0) won all three games this past weekend at the Route 66 Showcase in Springfield, MO. The weekend started against Washington University of St. Louis (2-11-0) Friday night. Zach Riley got things started with a Razorback goal, followed by two goals from Evan Kerr to give the Hogs a three-goal lead after one period. WashU scored their first goal of the game to start the second period, but Cameron McAtee scored two goals, Zach Riley scored his second of the contest, and Zach Wilson scored as well to give the Hogs a 7-1 lead at the end of the second period. The third period was more of the same, as Grant Fletcher, Alex Kueser, Brendan Bomay, Jordan Deskeere, and Jake Sharrer each scored. WashU got one more before Evan Kerr would complete his hat trick, giving the Hogs a 13-2 victory. Goalie Bobby Rea secured his second win of the season with 13 saves on 15 shots.
Saturday the Hogs faced off against the University of New Mexico (4-9-0). The first period was all Hogs, as they jumped out a 4-0 lead on goals from Zach Wilson, Tyler Valdron, Grant Deacon, and Alex Kueser. The second period started similarly as Trevor McLain scored and Kueser scored his second of the game. New Mexico scored midway through the second period, but the Hogs came back with five goals in five minutes to stretch their lead to 11-1 after two periods. Those goals came from Michael Ellis, Zach Riley, Cameron McAtee, Zach Wilson, and Kueser, completing his hat trick. In the third period Evan Kerr and Griffin Sugasawara scored, and Zach Wilson notched his third of the afternoon to give Arkansas the 14-1 win. Alex Kalmes stopped 16 of 17 shots for his ninth win of the season.
Sunday the Hogs needed to win by a goal differential of five or more over Colorado School of Mines (3-4-3) in order to clinch the Route 66 trophy. Despite putting up twenty shots on net, Arkansas struggled to hit the back of the net, leading just 1-0 after the first period on a power play goal from Grant Deacon. The Hogs controlled the second period, however, as Alex Kueser scored two goals and Evan Kerr and Zach Wilson notched one goal each for the 5-0 lead heading into the third period. The Razorbacks held nothing back, giving up just one shot on net and scoring five more goals in the final period. This time it was all defensemen scoring; Shaun Foster, Alex Deguire, Kevin Laplante, Cameron McAtee, and Jordan Deskeere each got a goal to give Arkansas the 10-0 win. Jozef Dusenka stopped all nine shots to secure his tenth win of the season and the Hogs’ first shutout of the season.
This weekend, Arkansas will welcome Washington University of St. Louis to The Jones Center on Friday, November 15 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, November 16 at 3:05 pm. Friday’s game will be Military Appreciation Night as the University of Arkansas Air Force ROTC will be in attendance and Cadet Colonel Wade Gerlick will drop the ceremonial first puck. Admission will also be free for all veterans and there will be a raffle for a game-worn, team-autographed jersey. All proceeds of the raffle will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project, which offers programs and services to wounded veterans.
The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2019-20 season will be the team’s thirteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule can be found here. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.
