Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 | 11:30 a.m.
The UNLV hockey team spent more time defending than attacking in its past two games, facing a tough task against Division I opponents in being outshot 112-29.
It split a pair of games against the top collegiate competition, pulling off a stunning 7-6 upset over Denver before falling to Colorado College, 8-0.
“Denver’s like Nick Saban Alabama with college hockey,” forward Ronan Keenan said. “You really don’t have any room to work with, and it’s just trying to play the best way we can.”
Returning to Las Vegas and games in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the ice opened up for the Rebels.
After trailing 1-0 to the University of Jamestown of North Dakota on Friday, the Rebels scored seven unanswered goals for a throttling 7-1 win. They also outshot the Jimmies 44-21.
It marked the fifth time this season UNLV has won by five or more goals.
“The boys did a really good job adjusting to Jamestown’s speed,” UNLV coach Nick Robone said. “We knew exactly how we wanted to play against a team like that. We went out and executed after that first goal.”
Playing boldly and consistently is what UNLV wants out of its team. The coaching staff doesn’t want players getting “too high” or “too low.” At home, in front of a packed house, there was an expectation not to get caught up in everything.
“We know what we have in that room,” Robone said. “It’s a really solid and championship-caliber group. I don’t think they get too high on the highs or low on the lows, and that’s what you really need to be able to excel deep in March.”
At the same time, UNLV had to adjust its game, switching from playing NCAA Division I teams to ACHA competition.
The Rebels are no longer the underdogs. They are the No. 3 team in ACHA Division I. This season, they’ve only lost once in conference play and have dictated the pace of nearly every game.
“We want to be a team that really pushes the pace, so we kind of had to go back to what we had initially done and really get back to more of our identity,” Robone said. “We’ve got a smart group, and they adapt to whatever opponent we’re playing against.”
As the season enters its final two months, the Rebels are eyeing a national championship. They came within goals of it last season, but they lost to Adrian College in the 2024 ACHA National Championship game.
After pulling off the biggest upset in college hockey and picking up its 15th straight conference win, the Rebels are zeroing in on a national title.
“On one hand, it (the Denver game) showed us how good of a hockey team we can be, and on the other, it shows like anyone really can’t beat anyone,” Keenan said. “You’ve got to be prepared to bring your best game every single night and be ready to go. That’s what it takes to become a national champion team.”
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