Hours before the showcase kicked off the first ACHA rankings for the season were released and Buffalo crept up to 23rd. UB was the only squad in the top 25 who were not there in the preseason Poll. After this weekend it's likely they may climb a little bit higher
The highest ranked team UB would face in the tournament was #11 Kent. Buffalo easily dispatched of the flashes in their showcase opener. The Bulls then faced #17 Central Oklahoma and #28 Indiana
Central Oklahoma was ranked in the top 20 despite being 0-4, I briefly touched on the level of their competition in last weeks showcase post. UB would battle the Broncho's for nearly 30 scoreless minutes before UCO unloaded for three goals in a span of two and a half minutes. UB would never be a factor in the game after that.
UCO forward Donald Geary would bookend the trio of goals with Nolan Hopkins scoring the second. Shortly after Mark Zarbo would get the Bulls on the board but thats as close as UB would get as the Bronchos would add two insurance goals midway through the third.
The Bulls would bounce back against Indiana beating the Hosiers 5-1. The game was also scoreless until mid way through the second when Kevin Mahoney beat Daniel Abramson. The game would remain 1-0 until the fourteen minute mark of the third period when Matthew Terreri took a pass from Fitzgerald to make the score two nil.
Chris Kendall would augment the lead several minutes later before Indiana got on the board. Matt Ganci and Kendall would each add another goal to seal the game
Three Stars from the Showcase
3 - Kendall Chris ( 2 Goals in the Indiana Game)
2 - Matt Ganci (3 Goals, 1 Assist, 1GWG)
1 - Michael Musialowski (2.5 GP, 2.09 GAA)