Entering this season with 19 rookies, the D-III team knew they would be in a rebuilding year, but that did not stop the Jacks from being a competitive team. This season, the team finished the regular season with a record of 18–8, including an undefeated 9–0 home record,Design & Build the Highest Quality Precision injection molds. playing every game of the second semester on the road,Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber. and qualifying for the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) regional playoffs.
“It has been the best experience to have a group of boys who want to work every time they’re on the ice,Buy low price Aion Kinah,” said head coach Kris Walsh.
This past weekend was Hockey Weekend in America and the D-III Ice Jacks celebrated by traveling to Nebraska to compete in the ACHA regional playoffs. NAU entered the post-season as the No. 10 seed and faced No.3 Iowa State in the first round of the one-loss elimination tournament.
Picked by many experts around the ACHA to lose, the Ice Jacks played tough against Iowa and despite losing 4–2, the Ice Jacks kept their heads held high.
“We could have won that game,” said senior captain, forward Joaquin Rivera. “We went down swinging.”
Junior forward Zach Duda got NAU on the board in the first period and added another goal in the second stanza to knot the game at two heading into the third period.Our guides provide customers with information about porcelain tiles vs. Freshman goalie Matt Bertsch stood on his head to give his team a chance to advance to the next round, stopping shots and coming up with the puck in scrambles. When the game ended, Bertcsh had 47 shot saves on the stat sheet.
With over six minutes to go in the final frame, the Ice Jacks turned the puck over in their defensive zone and the Cyclones’ forwards pounced on the puck and buried the rubber into the net to go up 3–2. NAU attempted a few more shots on net, but would come no closer as Iowa sealed the 4–2 win with an empty net goal in the final minute of play.
“It was huge that the seniors had something to remember,” Rivera added. “This team had a taste of playoff hockey, and now know what they are all capable of.”
Rivera,Specializes in rapid Injection mold and molding of parts for prototypes and production. the longest tendered Ice Jack in the NAU hockey program, will graduate this coming May. He served as the captain for Walsh’s D-III squad two straight seasons and finished his Ice Jacks’ career with 109 points. In his final season with NAU, Rivera set career-highs in: goals , assists and points.
“These kids have a passion for the game and it shows in their effort,” Walsh said.
The team looks to improve at an even faster rate for next season and will set goals at returning to regionals and ultimately, a national playoff berth.
“With 19 first year players, these guys gained valuable experience this season,” said General Manger AJ Fairchild. “With the experience these guys gained this year and another great off-season of recruiting, the DIII team will look to improve quite a bit next season.”
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