Inspired Cyclones blow past No. 1 Icers to win Nittany Lion Invitational Tournament

By JOSHUA RHETT MILLER
Collegian Staff Writer

As Iowa State coach Alan Murdoch walked into the Ice Pavilion at Greenberg Sports Complex, he immediately noticed the ACHA Murdoch Cup nestled in the trophy casings of Penn State hockey.

That was all he and his Cyclones would need to get going after a fatiguing 16-hour bus ride.

"Walking by that cup was great motivation for us," Murdoch said about the trophy named in his honor. "Seeing the trophy again made us realize what we had to do as a team."

Murdoch, whose team was knocked off in the semifinals of last year's ACHA Tournament 4-0 by Penn State, knew the first step to regaining the league's top prize would be to come into the Icers' building and take a step toward reclaiming the nation's top ranking.

Mission accomplished.

No. 2 Iowa State (23-4-2) defeated No. 1 Penn State (19-2) 5-3 Saturday in the finals of the 1999 Nittany Lion Invitational Tournament in front of 1,311 fans who were looking to see the Icers solidify their top spot in ACHA hockey. Instead, the fans were hushed for most of the game, watching Penn State succumb to the Cyclones' speed.

"We took the crowd out of the game with our first two goals," Murdoch said. "That was very beneficial to us."

Murdoch said although he was very proud of how his players came onto Penn State's home ice and got the win, he realizes the end result could have been different.

"It could have gone either way," he said. "But we kept our cool and kept our motors going the whole time."

The loss, which rekindled some fire for several Cyclones, marked the first time the Icers haven't won their own tournament since 1992.

"Penn State and Iowa State have always played great, clean hockey," Iowa State senior forward Darren Anderson said. "It could have gone either way, but we played very solid at the end. It was a seesaw battle for most of the game."

Iowa State jumped out in front 2-0 in the first period but Penn State answered by netting three straight goals. Iowa State then countered with three consecutive goals of its own, including an empty netter that sealed the deal.

"If we play our style of hockey, we can play with anyone, anywhere," Iowa State junior defender Greg Jones said. "We have quick players that check hard."

Jones, who was named to the All-Tournament team for his stellar defensive play, said he's trying not to blow this win out of proportion.

"We don't want to overlook this tournament," he said. "We're going to focus on nationals because we think we'll see these guys again."

After herding up his athletes and dodging bulky equipment bags amidst the locker room stench, Murdoch took a deep breath and said some encouraging words to his red-eyed players.

"That 16-hour ride back home will seem a little shorter now."