Icers look to stop streak, Kmit curse

The last four times former Icer captain Eddie Kmit attended a Penn State sporting event, Penn State lost. He was in attendance when the football team lost to Michigan and Michigan State. He was also on hand last weekend when the ice hockey team lost back-to-back games to Michigan-Dearborn and Eastern Michigan, knocking the Icers out of the top spot in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

Kmit is back in town not just to catch a quick hockey game, but to play in the team's annual alumni game, which will be held after Saturday's game at approximately 6:15 p.m. This will be the first time Kmit will take part in alumni weekend.

After a solid career playing both defense and forward for Penn State, Kmit graduated last spring. Since then, the Michigan native tried out for several professional hockey teams and currently works as a sales engineer for Bosch, selling windshield wiper systems to car manufacturers like Ford and General Motors.

Since Kmit didn't have a job lined up right away when he left Penn State, he trained all summer and tried out for two professional hockey teams -- the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League (IHL) and the Jacksonville Lizard Kings of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The IHL is one step below the NHL in terms of talent. Kmit said he had a great time trying out for both teams even though he didn't make final cuts.

"It was a great experience," Kmit said from his parents' home in Michigan. "(The Vipers) were good. I didn't expect to make that team once I saw how good the players were.

"I thought there was a chance to make the East Coast team. Obviously the coach didn't feel the same way. I felt like I could have helped them."

Once Kmit was cut from both minor league teams, he thought his hockey career would be happily over. But a friend talked him into playing in a senior league, so there won't be too much rust on his skates when he takes the ice Saturday night against some of his old teammates and coaches. He said he's looking forward to playing against his old coach, Joe Battista, joking that it will be fun to "get back at him for the past four years."

But before Battista worries about facing off against Kmit, his mind will be preoccupied with stopping his current team's losing streak. The Icers are in the midst of perhaps their toughest part of the schedule and wins from here on out are crucial. Wins are also important for Delaware coach and former Icer, Josh Brandwene. Brandwene's club, which he calls "a good, hard-working team that listens," is looking to move up to a more favorable spot in the rankings.

"Delaware's on a roll," Battista said. "They're fast, feisty, have strong goaltending and are very disciplined. They're on a roll and playing with confidence right now."

But after dropping two games last weekend, Battista and his Icers know they have to make a good showing on home ice and quell any doubts about their ability.

"After playing five easy games we kind of got away from what made us successful (during the road trip to Michigan)," Battista said. "We have to get back on the right track. We want to sweep this weekend."

Kmit went through a similar stretch of games last season with the Icers. The team lost two games in Michigan just like this year's squad.

"(This year's team) played a couple less-than-powerhouse teams before going to Michigan and sometimes when you do that you can pick up a couple bad habits," Kmit said. "But the guys will be ready. They're just as pissed off as anyone else."