File Photo of The Current

Riverman Keith Gaines (17) makes a move on a defender in a game earlier this season.

by Nick Bowman
staff associate

With two games remaining on the Rivermen's ice hockey schedule, the post-season still looks rather fuzzy. Due to its 11-5 setback at the hands of Palmer University, UM-St. Louis will have to play at the top of its game to qualify for the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association tournament.

The Palmer University contest started out rather flat, and the team's intensity level never registered on the scale.

"We came out flat and never caught up to their speed. We were out-played physically," said Derek Schaub, the team's head coach.

The odds seemed to be stacked against UM-St. Louis from the beginning when the team traveled to Palmer with only two defensemen. Although they played solid games, they couldn't stay on the ice for the entire contest.

"Having only two guys back really hurt us," sophomore Ben Gilbertson said. "Our goaltenders did their role, but they had to face too many shots. It was a game that we should have lost."

The high point of the game came with :26 remaining and the Rivermen down 11-3 when Schaub benched Gilbertson to keep him healthy. As Gilbertson sat down, he realized that this would be the first game all year in which he failed to score any points.

"When Ben realized this, I told him 'hurry up and score your point,'" Schaub said. "What happened next was pretty amazing."

Immediately after taking the faceoff, Gilbertson fired a slapshot toward the Palmer net. Although the initial shot didn't score, the ensuing rebound was tapped in by a fellow Riverman. Gilbertson could hardly contain himself.

"Ben started jumping up and down, and nobody in the rink could figure out why," Schaub said. This goal brought the score to 11-4.

More surprising still was that Gilbertson did this twice, rounding out the scoring at 11-5.

The next contest, against Illinois State, will be a must-win. UM-St. Louis is currently tied with Bradley for the fourth and final qualifying spot for the MACHA tourney. Bradley, who will play a weak Wheaton University team on the night of the UM-St. Louis-ISU contest, is heavily favored to defeat its opponents. The Rivermen will wrap up the regular season at home against Bradley on Feb.18, and if both teams are victorious over the stretch, the playoff implications of that final game would be tremendous.

"Bradley and [UM-St. Louis] are both knotted at 19 points," Schaub said. "Bradley will beat Wheaton, so if we want to stay alive, we must beat ISU."